Life 

at  the 

U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

The  Making  of  the  American 
Naval  Oflficer 


By 

Ralph  Earle 

Commander,  U.  S.  Navy 

Head  of  the  Department  of  Ordnance  and  Gunnery, 

United  States  Naval  Academy 


With  an  Introduction  by 

Franklin  D.  Roosevelt 

Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Navy 

With  73  Illustrations  and  a  Map 


G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New     York     and      London 

XLbc  "Rnicfterbocfter  press 
1917 


Copyright,  1917 

BY 

RALPH    EARLE 
Second  Impression 


^be  f{n{cl;erboc?!er  f>rees,  l^ew  t2ovk 


PREFACE 

The  science  of  conducting  a  war  upon  the 
sea  is  in  these  modem  days  very  com- 
plex. The  sea  power  of  our  nation  is  com- 
posed of  units  filled  with  the  most  intricate 
and  delicate  machinery  of  all  types,  and  a 
personnel  of  scientifically  trained  men  is  re- 
quired in  order  that  the  Navy  may  succeed 
in  its  twofold  mission.  In  peace,  this  Navy 
must  be  ever  prepared  to  maintain  peace;  in 
war,  it  must  protect  the  coimtry  from  in- 
vasion, and  thus  permit  the  routine  of  its 
wonted  industrial  and  social  life  to  continue 
uninterrupted  by  the  presence  of  a  foe  within 
the  nation's  borders.  The  national  defence 
primarily  depends  upon  the  strength  and  the 
efficiency  of  the  Navy. 

The  Naval  Academy  accomplishes  the  edu- 
cation of  the  officers  of  the  Navy,  and  is  thus 


IV 


Preface 


the  very  foundation  of  this  national  defence. 
This  school  is  the  rock  upon  which  is  built  the 
whole  fabric  of  our  sea  power. 

The  requirements  of  the  vessels  composing 
our  fleets  demand  something  vastly  better  in 
the  way  of  education  than  was  available  to 
our  great  admiral,  David  Glasgow  Farragut. 
A  midshipman  at  nine  and  one  half  years  of 
age,  an  officer  aboard  the  Essex  when  just 
past  ten,  a  prisoner  of  war  at  thirteen,  Far- 
ragut had  to  obtain  his  schooling  where  and 
when  he  could.  While  a  paroled  prisoner 
of  war  he  completed  one  year  of  study  at 
Chester.  For  the  remainder  of  his  education 
he  was  indebted  to  the  chaplain  of  the  Wash- 
ington. From  1816  to  1818,  this  officer,  who 
during  the  last  year  was  the  American  consul 
at  Tunis,  instructed  Farragut  in  the  rudiments 
of  mathematics,  English  literature,  French, 
and  Italian.  None  more  than  Farragut  appre- 
ciated the  necessity  of  a  thorough  education 
for  the  officers  of  the  Navy,  and  he  urged 
repeatedly  that  the  Navy  must  have  the 
very  best  facilities  for  their  training. 


Preface  v 

In  this  book  an  effort  is  made  to  explain 
the  methods  adopted  at  the  United  States 
Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis,  Maryland, 
to  give  the  midshipmen  of  our  Navy  a  thor- 
ough theoretical  and  practical  groimding  in 
the  knowledge  of  the  many  subjects  that  the 
naval  profession  demands.  This  recounting 
of  the  general  scheme  is  of  necessity  dull  in 
places,  but  is  given  nevertheless  with  consid- 
erable detail  in  the  hope  that  it  will  make  the 
life  of  the  midshipman  at  Annapolis  clear  to 
all  who  may  be  interested  in  the  process  of 
creating  a  naval  officer. 

It  is  pointed  out  how,  coincidently  with  his 
scientific  and  mechanical  education,  there  are 
implanted  in  the  midshipman  the  moral  and 
the  physical  qualities  with  which  the  naval 
officer  must  be  equipped  in  order  that  he  may 
never  lack  the  virtue,  honour,  patriotism, 
loyalty,  and  subordination  that  the  nation 
rightly  expects  him  always  to  possess. 

In  the  task  of  describing  the  life  of  the  mid- 
shipman the  author  has  freely  consulted  the 
following  works  whenever  it  was  necessary 


VI 


Preface 


in  this  manner  to  supplement  his  personal 
experience  at  the  Naval  Academy:  Park  Ben- 
jamin, The  United  States  Naml  Academy;  'i.  R. 
Soley,  Historical  Sketch  of  the  United  States 
Naval  Academy,  i8y6;  W.  O.  Stevens,  Two 
Early  Proposals  for  Naval  Education  (Proceed- 
ings of  U.  S.  Naval  Institute,  No.  145) ;  W.  O. 
Stevens  and  C.  S.  Alden,  A  Guide  to  Annapolis 
and  the  Naval  Academy;  C.  S.  Alden,  The 
"  Santee"  An  Appreciation  (Proceedings  of 
U.  S.  Naval  Institute  No.  146) ;  J.  A.  Murphy, 
Notes  on  the  Swedish  System  of  Physical  Train- 
ing (Proceedings  of  U.  S.  Naval  Institute,  No. 
142) ;  J.  Halligan,  Jr.,  Post  Graduate  Education 
in  Naval  Engineering  (Journal  of  the  Society 
of  Naval  Engineers,  Feb.,  1916,  vol.  xxviii.); 
Harris  Laning,  The  Necessity  of  Protecting  our 
Athletes  (Proceedings  of  U.  S.  Naval  Institute, 
No.  146). 

The  author  further  desires  to  express  his 
grateful  appreciation  of  the  assistance  re- 
ceived from  the  midshipmen  of  the  Naval 
Academy,  particularly  those  of  the  editorial 
staff  of  the  Lucky  Bag,  1916,  who  supplied 


Preface  vii 

pictures  and  aided  materially  by  their  sug- 
gestions; from  the  White  Studio,  which  con- 
tributed many  of  the  photographs  taken 
especially  for  the  book;  and  from  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Academic  Staff  of  the  Naval 
Academy,  who  responded  most  generously 
to  the  several  requests  for  suggestion  and 
criticism. 

Ralph  Earle. 

July  15,  1 91 6. 


INTRODUCTION 

It  is  not  generally  realized  by  the  public 
that  the  United  States  Naval  Academy  faces 
during  every  year  of  its  existence  a  task  more 
difficult  than  that  of  any  other  institution  of 
learning  in  the  United  States.  The  average 
imiversity  provides,  or  is  supposed  to  provide, 
in  its  undergraduate  department  a  general 
rounding  out  of  the  school  training  of  the 
American  boy  and  means  of  fitting  him  to 
take  his  place  in  those  pursuits  and  businesses 
which  do  not  require  a  special  technical 
training.  For  those  who  specialize  in  the 
professions  additional  years  of  study  are 
required. 

At  the  Naval  Academy,  the  Government 
of  the  United  States  attempts  to  turn  out  in 
four  years  a  man  who,  more  than  any  other 
graduate,  is  expected  to  be  "all  things  to 
all  men. "  It  must  be  remembered  that  the 
entrance    examinations    at     Annapolis    are 


X  Introduction 

intended  to  be  suitable  for  any  competent 
graduate  of  a  first-class  high  school.  This 
means  that  every  effort  must  be  made  during 
the  next  four  years  to  give  the  continuation 
of  general  education.  And  in  addition,  the 
students  must  be  taught  all  of  the  nautical, 
all  of  the  military,  all  of  the  scientific,  all 
of  the  historical  and  legal  knowledge  that 
is  necessary  to  the  equipment  of  even  the 
youngest  ensign  in  the  Navy.  In  other 
words,  in  four  years  these  boys,  gathered 
together  from  every  State  in  the  Union,  from 
rich  families  and  from  poor  families  alike, 
are  expected  to  become,  not  only  educated 
gentlemen,  but  also  international  lawyers, 
keen  observers,  navigators,  artillerists,  engi- 
neers and  also  all  around  men  and  specialists. 
On  the  whole  the  expectation  of  the  people 
of  the  United  States  is  justified.  On  the 
whole  the  United  States  Naval  Academy 
accomplishes  more  in  foiir  years  than  any 
other  college  in  the  country.  The  result  is 
the  officer  of  the  American  Navy — not  the 
man  marked  by  any  special  bnlliancy,  not 


Introduction  xi 

the  rare  individual  who  does  not  measiire  up, 
but  the  body  of  officers  as  a  whole.  Their 
work  in  the  present,  as  their  work  in  the  past, 
speaks  for  itself. 

Many  great  educators  have,  after  a  cursory 
glance  at  the  system  of  the  Naval  Academy, 
suggested  radical  changes.  In  most  cases 
it  can  be  shown  that  these  changes  have  been 
tried  in  the  past  and  have  been  found  un- 
desirable, but  it  is  encouraging  to  reaHze  that 
the  Naval  Academy  does  not  stand  still,  that 
it  is  willing  to  take  up  new  suggestions  to 
keep  abreast  of  the  times.  It  is  this  spirit 
which  will  make  its  work  effective  in  the  years 
to  come,  as  it  has  been  until  now. 

The  one  thing  that  is  needed  more  than  any 
other  is  a  greater  and  more  intelligent  interest 
on  the  part  of  the  public  in  the  many-sided 
life  of  the  Naval  Academy.  This  book  satis- 
fies a  long-felt  want  and  it  also  gives  clearly 
and  definitely  the  history,  the  Hfe,  and  the 
aims  of  the  greatest  national  institution  of 
learning.  Its  publication  is  especially  timely, 
for  the  increased  interest  of  the  people  of  the 


xii  Introduction 

United  States  in  the  building  up  of  a  Navy 
must  make  them  realize  that  the  safety  of  our 
coasts  and  indeed  of  our  whole  country  de- 
pends not  only  on  the  welding  together  of 
masses  of  steel  in  the  form  of  ships,  but  on 
the  training  of  a  greatly  increased  number  of 
officers  for  the  proper  use  of  these  ships.  In 
the  naval  service  officers  cannot  be  trained  in 
a  few  months  or  after  war  breaks  out.  A 
greater  Annapolis  is  as  essential  as  a  greater 
fleet. 

Franklin  D.  Roosevelt. 


Navy  Department, 
January  20,  1917. 


CONTENTS 

Preface       

PAGE 

iii 

Introduction        ..... 

ix 

CHAPTER 
I.- 

—Historical  Sketch  . 

I 

II.- 

—The  Candidate 

29 

III.- 

—The  New  Midshipman 

55 

IV.- 

—Organization   .... 

82 

V.- 

—Academic  Work 

97 

VI.- 

—Examinations  .... 

121 

VII.- 

—Practical      Instruction     and 
Drills          .... 

136 

VIII.- 

—Religion,  Discipline,  Morale  . 

158 

IX.- 

—Physical  Training  and   Medi- 
cal Care     .... 

175 

X.- 

—Athletics          .... 

199 

XI.- 

—Recreation      .... 

215 

XII.- 

—The  Practice  Cruises 

237 

XIII.- 

—The  Postgraduate 

259 

xiv  Contents 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XIV. — Grounds  and  Buildings  .        .278 

XV. — The  Ensign     .        .        .         .299 

Appendices  :  ' 

I. — Course  of  Study,  with  Text- 
Books  Used         .         .         .314 

II. — Regulations    Governing    Ad- 
mission       ....     325 

III. — Biographical  Note  .         .    349 

Index 351 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGB 

A  View  of  the  Grounds  from  Dahlgren 
Hall  ....     Frontispiece 

White  Studio. 

Commander  Franklin  Buchanan,  U.  S. 
Navy         ......       12 

The  First  Superintendent,  1845. 

The  Naval  Academy,  1870  to  1898  ,         .       18 
Gassier. 

Captain  E.   W.   Eberle,   U.   S.   Navy.      26 

The  Superintendent,  19 16. 

View  of  Annapolis  and  the  Naval 
Academy  from  the  Dome  of  the 
Capitol     .... 


A  View  in  the  Yard  . 

White  Studio. 

The  State  House 
The  Brice  House 

Photo  by  McAboy. 

Entrance  to  the  Quarters 


34 
40 

46 
46 

58 


xvi  Illustrations 

PAGB 

The  Naval  School  Tablet  .         .       58 

Armstrong. 

In  the  Rotunda  of  Bancroft  Hall  .   62 

White  Studio. 

Infantry  Drill 66 

Artillery  Drill  ....       66 

The  Rifle  Range        ....      72 

Armstrong. 

The  Interior  of  Quarters  .         .       78 

White  Studio. 

The  Academic  Board,  1915-1916   .         .       84 
H.  M.  Mullinix  ....       88 

The  Midshipman  Commander,  191 5- 19 16. 

The  Midshipmen  of  the  Class  of  1916     .      92 
Midshipman  Room         ....     100 

White  Studio. 

At  Recitation      .         .         .         .         .100 

White  Studio. 

Returning  from  Recitations       .         .110 

White  Studio. 

Mess  Formation  .         .         .         .116 


Illustrations  xvii 

PAGE 

The  Extra-Duty  Squad  .  .  .116 

At  Examinations  .  .  .  .124 

IsHERWOOD  Hall  .  .  .  .124 

Five-Inch  Loading  Drill  .  .  .138 

White  Studio. 

Fire-Control  Drill    .         .         .         .138 

White  Studio. 

Torpedo  Instruction  .         .         .         .144 

White  Studio. 

Spotting  Drill    .         .         .         .         .144 

White  Studio. 

Steam  Tactics 150 

"Argo"    under   Sail;   Cutters  under 
Oars 150 

The   Naval  Academy   Chapel  and  Ad- 
ministration Building      .         .         .     160 

The  Interior  of  the  Chapel      .         .     164 

Photo  by  McAboy. 

The  Crypt  of  the  Chapel.     The  Sar- 
cophagus OF  John  Paul  Jones  .     168 

Photo  by  McAboy. 


XVlll 


Illustrations 


The  Chapel  through  the  Arcade 
Physical  Drill.     Swedish  System 

White  Studio. 

Swimming  Instruction 

White  Studio. 

View  of  the  Academy  from  Annapolis 
Harbor     .... 

The  Crews 

The  Start.     Quarter-Mile  Run 

Stopping  the  Half-Back 

Track  and  Field  Sports 

A  Shot  for  a  Goal — Lacrosse 

Boat  Sailing  :  Knockabouts  and  Cat 
boats        .... 

The  Dewey  Basin 

Army  vs.  Navy  Football  Game  in  Fog 
AT  New  York,  Nov.  27,  1915.  Army 
Making  its  First  Touchdown    . 

Copyright  Pictorial  News  Co. 

Worden  Field 

Photo  by  Armstrong. 


PAGB 

172 
176 

176 

180 
190 
196 
202 
206 
210 

218 
218 

224 
224 


Illustrations  xix 

PAGE 

U.  S.  S.  "Constellation"    .         .         .     238 

The  U.  S.  S.  "Missouri"  in  the  Cule- 
BRA  Cut  of  the  Panama  Canal,  July 
16,  1915 242 

At  Sea  in  Formation  ....     242 

Life  on  the  Practice  Cruise  :  Scrubbing 
Decks  and  Airing  Bedding      .         .     246 

Life  on  the  Practice  Cruise:  Range- 
FiNDER  Drill 246 

Life  on  the  Practice  Cruise:  The 
Bridge 248 

Life  on  the  Practice  Cruise:  Shoot- 
ing THE  Sun  in  the  Early  Morning    248 

Landing  Party  Leaving  for  a  Shore 
Parade,  U.  S.  S.  "Wisconsin    .         .     252 

The  Practice  Squadron  at  San  Diego, 
California,  July  28-30,  191 5   .         .     256 

A  Corner  of  the  Electrical  Labo- 
ratory     ......     262 

The  Machine  Shop      ....     262 

White  Studio. 


XX  Illustrations 


Measuring  Shaft  Horse-Power  by 
Torsion  Meter  and  Prony  Brake. 
Shaft  Driven  by  Curtis  Turbine       .     270 

White  Studio. 

The  Forge  Shop  ....     270 

Wlaite  Studio. 

Annapolis  from  the  Harbor  .  .280 
Bancroft  Hall  at  Night  .  .  .286 
The  Library  and  the  Auditorium       .     290 

Armstrong. 

Division  of  Battleships  Making  a 
Turn  Preparatory  to  Gunnery 
Practice  ......     302 

Copyright  E.  MuUer,  Jr. 

At  Elementary  Target  Practice  .  306 
Destroyers  at  Sea      .         .         .         .310 

Copyright  E.  Muller,  Jr. 

Map  of  the  Grounds  of  the  Naval 
Academy  .         .         .         .  Ai  the  End 


Life 

at  the 

U.  S.  Naval  Academy 


Life  at  the 
U.  S.  Naval  Academy 


CHAPTER  I 

HISTORICAL  SKETCH 

*'Ex  Scientia  Tridens." 

The  Military  Academy  at  West  Point  has 
had  a  smoother  sea  for  its  cruise  than 
has  the  academy  of  the  sister  service.  No  less 
a  man  than  President  Washington  advised 
Congress  in  1793  that  it  should  provide  a 
military  school.  In  1794  Congress  created 
the  corps  of  engineers  and  artillerists,  giving 
to  its  members  the  grade  "cadet,"  which 
grade  has  been  perpetuated  to  the  present 
day.     Congress  in  effect  founded  the  military 


2      Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

academy  in  that  year,  although  this  identical 
academy  lasted  but  two  years,  being  compelled 
to  close  when  fire  destroyed  the  cadet  school 
buildings  at  West  Point.  The  school  was 
then  discontinued.  The  United  States  Mili- 
tary Academy,  as  it  exists  today,  commenced 
its  first  academic  year  July  4,  1802,  and,  in 
spite  of  some  severe  setbacks,  it  has  since 
continued  to  grow  in  influence  and  value  to 
the  country. 

The  Naval  Academy  was  less  fortunate 
and  many  obstacles  both  from  within  and 
without  the  service  had  to  be  encountered  and 
overcome  before  its  founding  became  a  fact. 
It  was  not  established  until  events  slowly,  as 
must  be  the  case,  forced  such  an  institution 
to  take  a  place  in  our  national  life.  The  sea 
officers  of  our  Navy  in  the  twenties  were  men 
that  believed  little  in,  and  often  actively 
opposed,  education,  being  of  the  firm  convic- 
tion that  the  ship  at  sea  provided  sufficient 
training  for  all  future  oflBcers. 

It  is  remembered  that  our  Navy  came 
officially  into  being  by  the  Act  of  Congress  in 


Historical  Sketch  3 

1794  after  a  close  struggle,  the  act  winning 
only  by  the  small  margin  of  two  votes.  By 
this  act  the  President  was  authorized  to  ap- 
point forty-eight  midshipmen  and  to  fix  their 
pay.  Such  appointments  were  often  the 
result  of  poHtical  favour,  no  requirements  as 
to  education  being  exacted,  and  naturally 
many  thoroughly  worthless  youngsters  were 
sent  to  sea  where,  under  the  hard  conditions 
of  living,  they  led  their  messmates  into  wild 
habits.  However,  all  of  the  famous  naval 
officers  until  the  close  of  the  Civil  War  came 
into  the  service  in  this  way,  unguided  by 
schoolmasters  and  subject  to  no  discipline 
save  that  hard  and  unjust  type  then  belonging 
to  the  sea.  The  greater  part  of  these  mid- 
shipmen, despite  such  conditions,  educated 
themselves  and  became  most  worthy  of  the 
nation  and  of  perpetuating  the  traditions  of  the 
service  and  thus  deserve  the  sincere  admira- 
tion and  respect  of  the  officers  of  the  present 
day. 

The  need  for  better  facilities  for  education 
so  forcibly  impressed  itself  upon  many  of  the 


4      Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

abler  officers  that  two  makeshift  naval  schools 
came  into  being,  the  first  on  board  the  Guer- 
riere  in  1821  at  New  York  and  the  second  on 
board  the  Java  at  Norfolk.  By  1833  there 
was  a  third  school  located  at  the  Boston  Navy 
Yard.  Secretary  Branch,  in  1829,  speaks  of 
these  schools  as  being  "tolerated"  because 
he  could  obtain  no  legal  authorization  and  no 
funds  for  the  purpose  of  educating  young 
officers.  Midshipmen  not  on  cruising  vessels 
were  not  on  duty,  and  had  not  sufficient  funds 
to  proceed  to  their  homes.  As  a  result  they 
waited  in  idleness  at  yards,  where  they  yielded 
to  many  temptations,  and  only  the  best 
of  them  sought  instruction.  Such  officers 
studied  at  colleges  and  at  West  Point  to  which 
it  was  once  proposed  to  send  one  hundred 
midshipmen. 

One  of  the  most  successful,  consistent,  and 
far-sighted  advocates  of  a  real  naval  academy 
was  Lieutenant  M.  F.  Maury,  who,  while  only 
a  passed  midshipman,  published  a  Navigation 
that  was  successful  in  England  and  America, 
and  was  used  as  a  text-book  when  the  present 


Historical  Sketch  5 

Naval  Academy  was  founded.  In  1841  and 
1842  Maury  wrote  strong  articles,  that  ap- 
peared as  Scraps  from  a  Lucky  Bag,  which  he 
caused  to  be  widely  distributed,  exposing  the 
inadequacy  of  the  Navy,  both  in  material 
and  personnel,  together  with  the  paralysing 
effect  of  political  corruption.  He  is  some- 
times called  the  Father  of  the  Naval  Academy 
because  of  his  untiring  energy  and  devotion 
to  the  work  of  getting  it  started. 

Chaplains,  and  later  professors  of  mathe- 
matics, were  detailed  by  the  Department  as 
schoolmasters,  and  in  1835  the  corps  of  in- 
structors was  placed  on  a  firm  footing.  How- 
ever, as  most  of  the  instruction  took  place  at 
sea,  it  was  thoroughly  unsatisfactory  and 
inefficient.  During  recitations  as  weU  as 
during  study  periods  a  class  was  liable  to  be 
called  away  to  reef  topsails  or  to  perform  some 
of  the  other  multitudinous  duties  of  a 
man-of-war.  This  condition  will  always  be 
unavoidable  on  shipboard ;  as  the  safety,  effici- 
ency, and  preservation  of  the  ship  and  her 
personnel    and    material    permit    no    other 


6      Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

interests  to  conflict  with  their  instant 
attention. 

A  memorial  of  protest  against  the  condi- 
tions that  prevented  education  was  drawn 
up  on  the  U.  S.  S.  Constitution  in  1836  and 
signed  by  fifty-five  of  her  officers  and  by 
sixteen  of  the  officers  of  the  Vandalia.  This 
memorial  was  forwarded  to  Congress  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy.  It  urged  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  naval  school  as  the  only  method 
whereby  existing  conditions  could  be  remedied. 
The  Secretaries  of  the  Navy  continually  urged 
Congress  to  establish  a  school,  but  dread  of 
expense  just  as  continually  deterred  that 
body  from  doing  so,  although  the  Naval 
Committees  reported  favourably  recommenda- 
tion after  recommendation  for  this  object. 

During  the  forties  questions  relating  to  the 
naval  personnel  pressed  for  solution  con- 
stantly in  Congress,  the  direction  of  effort 
being  towards  the  end  of  obtaining  better 
education  for  officers  and  seamen,  naval  rank, 
a  retired  list  for  the  officers,  and  the  general 
government    and    discipline    of    the    service. 


Historical  Sketch  7 

many  laws  being  passed.  The  efforts  in 
Congress  to  establish  an  academy  for  the 
Navy  similar  to  the  one  for  the  Army  were 
continuous  from,  1842  to  1845,  but  without 
success.  These  efforts  possessed  additional 
force  owing  to  the  introduction  in  1839  of 
steam  machinery  in  the  Navy. 

Sea  officers  were  not  unanimously  in  favour 
of  a  school,  but  it  is  decidedly  worthy  of  note 
that  such  able  and  successful  seamen  as  Far- 
ragut,  Upshur,  DuPont,  Foote,  Dahlgren, 
Buchanan,  Goldsborough,  and  Craven  were 
active  in  their  efforts  and  untiring  in  the  use 
of  their  influence  in  an  endeavour  to  foimd  a 
naval  school. 

Conditions  in  the  ser^ace  were,  to  put  it 
mildly,  scandalous,  and  were  due  no  doubt  to 
ignorance,  as  claimed  by  the  advocates  of  a 
naval  school.  The  mutiny  on  the  Somers 
and  the  hanging  of  Acting  Midshipman  Spen- 
cer, a  son  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  on  Decem- 
ber I,  1842,  directed  the  attention  of  the 
country  to  the  faults  and  evils  of  a  system 
that  brought  into  the  Navy  at  the  command 


8      Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

of  politicians  youths  of  bad  and  vicious  char- 
acter. This  tragic  occurrence  is  credited 
with  being  the  real  cause  of  the  establishment 
of  the  Naval  Academy,  although  in  reality 
it  was  only  added  fuel  to  the  fire  already  burn- 
ing. The  need  of  one  school  to  teach  naviga- 
tion, mathematics,  languages,  international 
law,  and  the  principles  of  the  steam  engine 
was  manifest  and  was  bound,  in  spite  of  all 
obstacles,  to  bring  into  being  such  a  school. 

In  1838  the  Naval  Asylum  School  was  es- 
tablished at  the  Naval  Home  at  Philadel- 
phia with  a  one-year  course.  In  1841,  this 
school,  which  possessed  only  the  most  paltry 
and  inadequate  accommodations  both  for 
living  and  learning,  was  attended  by  thirty- 
four  midshipmen,  one  professor  acting  as  in 
charge  and  as  the  sole  instructor.  In  April, 
1842,  Professor  William  Chauvenet  became 
head  of  this  school.  Through  his  own  energy 
and  the  help  of  the  Governor  of  the  Naval 
Home  better  quarters  were  secured.  A  good, 
well-lighted  room  and  the  acquisition  of 
chronometers  and  sextants  conduced  to  much 


Historical  Sketch  9 

higher  standards  of  education,  but  the  time, 
one  year,  was  most  decidedly  insufficient. 
Professor  Chauvenet  drew  up  detailed  plans 
of  study  calling  for  a  minimum  course  of  two 
years  on  shore.  Secretary  Henshaw  agreed 
to  make  the  Naval  Asylum  course  two  years 
instead  of  one  and  this  extension  was  to  go 
into  effect  September,  1844.  His  order  to  do 
so  was  revoked  by  IMr.  Alason,  his  successor. 

In  1844  there  were  in  service  fourteen  pro- 
fessors at  sea,  and  one  at  Boston,  one  at  Nor- 
folk, three  at  Philadelphia,  and  three  on  special 
service. 

George  Bancroft  of  Massachusetts,  an 
authority  on  education,  having  taken  his 
degree  at  Harvard  University  in  1817,  and 
at  Gottingen,  in  1820,  and  since  that  time 
having  had  personal  experience  in  teaching 
became  Secretary  of  the  Navy  on  March  4, 
1845.  As  Congress  was  unable  to  establish 
a  Naval  School,  he  decided  to  accomplish 
this  purpose  without  recourse  to  national 
legislation  by  using  only  skill,  diplomacy, 
and  his  own  ability.     In  pursuit  of  this  plan 


10    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

he  found  ready  for  his  use  the  plan  of  Professor 
Chauvenet  made  for  the  Naval  Asylum 
School.  On  June  13,  1845,  he  directed  the 
Board  of  Examiners  of  the  Naval  Asylum 
School  to  report  as  to  the  desirability  of 
establishing  a  Naval  School.  This  Board, 
the  senior  member  of  which  was  Commodore 
George  C.  Read,  urged  the  early  establish- 
ment of  a  Naval  School  and  a  concentration 
and  centraUzation  of  efforts  to  educate  the 
young  naval  officers.  As  no  funds  had  been 
appropriated  by  Congress  for  a  Naval  School 
the  choice  of  a  site  was  necessarily  restricted. 
The  practically  abandoned  army  post  of 
Fort  Severn,  comprising  nine  acres  on  Wind- 
mill Point  between  the  harbour  of  Annapolis 
and  the  Severn  River,  was  available,  and  its 
selection  was  urged  by  Captain  Mayo,  one 
of  the  members  of  the  Board.  On  the  receipt 
of  the  report  of  this  Board  Annapolis  was 
visited  by  Secretary  Bancroft,  Governor 
Marcy,  Secretary  of  War,  and  Commander 
Warrington,  Chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Yards 
and  Docks. 


Historical  Sketch  ii 

A  second  Board  composed  of  Commanders 
McKean,  Buchanan,  and  DuPont  was  now 
appointed  by  Secretary  Bancroft,  which  also 
recommended  Annapolis,  and,  furthermore, 
that  Lieutenant  Ward,  with  Professors  Chau- 
venet  and  Lockwood,  constitute  the  staff  of 
the  proposed  school.  Thus  Secretary  Ban- 
croft had  succeeded  in  having  two  Boards  agree 
upon  the  same  site  for  the  desired  school. 
On  August  15,  1845,  the  War  Department 
transferred  this  Fort  Severn  reservation  to  the 
Navy  Department,  and  from  Philadelphia  to 
this  spot  was  transferred  the  Naval  Asylum 
School. 

Commander  Franklin  Buchanan,  U.  S. 
Navy,  who  had  been  a  member  of  the  second 
Board,  was  made  the  first  commanding  officer 
of  the  school.  He  organized  the  Academic 
Board  in  the  following  order: 

Naval  School,  Annapolis,  Md., 

October  4,  1845. 

Gentlemen: 

You  will  convene  as  a  Board  and  arrange  the 
classes  of  the  Midshipmen  attached  to  the  Naval 


12    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

School,  decide  upon  the  hours  of  recitation,  the 
number  of  hours  necessary  to  be  applied  to 
study,  and  designate  the  days,  hours,  and  time 
required  for  the  various  lectures  and  submit  for 
my  approval  the  result  of  your  deliberations. 

The  course  of  instruction  will  be  comprised 
under  the  following  heads — Mathematics,  Natu- 
ral Philosophy,  Chemistry,  Gunnery  and  the  use 
of  Steam,  Geography,  English  Grammar,  Arith- 
metic, History,  the  French  and  Spanish  lan- 
guages, and  such  other  branches  desirable  to  the 
accomplishment  of  a  Naval  Officer  as  your  judg- 
ment may  dictate. 

Lieutenant  Ward  will  act  as  President  of  the 
Board. 

Very  Respectfully 
Your  Obdt  Servt 
(Signed)  Frank'*  Buchanan 

Superintendent 
To  THE  Professors 

ATTACHED   TO   THE   NaVAL   ScHOOL 

Annapolis  ]Md. 

The  Naval  School  at  Annapolis  was  for- 
mally opened  on  October  lo,  1845,  with  an 
address  by  Commander  Buchanan  deHvered 
in  one  of  the  recitation  rooms  to  the  fifty 
mids  hipmen  in  attendance.  As  a  contrast,  it 
is  interesting  to  note  that  the  academic  year 


COMMANDER  FRANKLIN"   BUCHANAN'.  U 
The  First  Superintendent,  1845 


S.   NAVY 


Historical  Sketch  13 

1915-1916,  beginning  October  i,  1915,  found 
nine  hundred  and  eighteen  midshipmen  in 
attendance,  the  greatest  number  up  to  that  date 
in  the  history  of  the  Academy. 

The  courses  followed  closely  those  worked 
out  for  the  Philadelphia  school.  The  conduct 
of  the  school  was  by  no  means  an  easy  matter. 
The  "oldsters," — that  is,  those  midshipmen 
recalled  from  sea — resented  the  fact  that  they 
were  required  to  study,  and  especially  in 
company  with  the  "youngsters,"  as  those  who 
were  just  appointed  and  who  consequently 
had  never  been  to  sea  were  called.  Comman- 
der Buchanan  was  more  than  equal  to  the  task, 
being  a  man  of  inflexible  will  and  a  stem 
disciplinarian,  who  brought  under  control  the 
reckless  and  improvident  youngsters  thus 
suddenly  removed  from  the  restraint  of  ship- 
board life  and  forced  to  study,  a  thing  for 
which  they  had  no  desire.  A  member  of  this 
first  body  of  students.  Rear  Admiral  Edward 
Simpson,  an  officer  appointed  in  1840,  thus 
described  the  novel  situation  in  which  the  mid- 
shipmen found  themselves:   "Y7e  were  men 


14    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

ranging  from  twenty-one  to  twenty-six  years 
of  age,  had  been  in  active  service  as  officers 
for  five  years,  accustomed  to  discipline  afloat, 
but,  like  sailors,  prone  to  relaxation  when  on 
shore,  and  it  required  effort  to  accustom  our- 
selves to  the  new  and  unexpected  order  of 
things,  and  it  is  very  certain  that  all  did  not 
recognize  the  advantages  nor  the  benefit  that 
was  to  follow.  Attempts  were  made  to  kick 
over  the  traces,  but  there  was  a  strong  hand 
at  the  helm,  and  discretion  was  found  to  be 
advisable." 

The  plan  of  organization  proposed  that  a 
grade  of  naval  cadet  inferior  to  that  of  mid- 
shipman should  be  created  by  law  and  that 
these  naval  cadets  should  comprise  the  primary 
class  of  the  school.  The  entrance  age  was 
fixed  between  thirteen  and  sixteen  years. 
The  change  in  title  was  not  to  occur  for  many 
years.  The  course,  rather  irregularly  carried 
out  due  to  causes  beyond  the  control  of  the 
officers  of  the  school,  comprised  five  years, 
the  first  and  last  spent  at  the  school,  the 
intervening  three  at  sea. 


Historical  Sketch  15 

Late  in  the  summer  of  1846  Congress  made 
its  first  appropriation  of  funds,  amounting  to 
twenty-eight  thousand  two  hundred  dollars 
for  "repairs,  improvements,  and  instruction 
at  Fort  Severn,  Annapohs,  Md."^  Three 
days  after  the  bill  became  law  Secretary 
Bancroft  directed  Commander  Buchanan  to 
enlarge  the  buildings  and  construct  new  ones. 
When  the  School  was  fully  under  way,  Com- 
mander Buchanan  appHed  for  sea  duty  in  the 
Mexican  War  and,  March  16,  1847,  he  became 
commanding  officer  of  the  Germantown  taking 
an  active  part  in  that  war  being  present  at  the 
capture  of  Vera  Cruz. 

A  revision  of  the  curriculum  soon  became 
a  necessity.  A  new  code  of  regulations  was, 
in  consequence,  drawn  up  by  a  Board  of  seven, 

'  This  amount  was  practically  the  same  as  had  been 
appropriated  for  many  years  for  "the  instruction  of  mid- 
shipmen and  other  purposes,"  the  appropriation  differing 
from  previous  ones  only  in  the  slight  change  of  the  wording. 
By  placing  eleven  out  of  the  twenty-two  civilian  professors 
upon  waiting  orders  without  pay,  the  Secretary  was  en- 
abled to  save  some  $14,800  of  this  appropriation.  This 
amount  he  used  for  repairs  and  new  construction  at  the 
Naval  School. 


i6    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

one  of  whom  was  the  Superintendent  of  the 
Military  Academy.  These  regulations  were 
approved  and  put  into  operation,  and,  in 
accordance  with  these  regulations,  the  Naval 
School  on  July  i,  1850,  became  the  United 
States  Naval  Academy. 

Under  this  organization  the  plan  of  sending 
student's  to  sea  during  an  intermediate  three 
years  was  continued  and  the  attendance  at  the 
Academy  was  increased  to  four  years.  The 
element  composed  of  the  sea  ofKcers  was  thus 
ever  to  the  fore,  as  the  officer's  prime  requisite 
then  was  seamanship;  gunnery  in  the  Navy 
was  an  unperfected  science,  the  guns  being 
but  crude  instruments.  Owing  to  the  addi- 
tional time  now  allowed  the  midshipmen  for 
study,  it  was  possible  to  extend  the  course 
greatly,  and  the  present  system  of  separate 
departments,  each  with  an  executive  head, 
was  fully  adopted.  In  July,  1850,  the  present 
marking  scale  of  4  came  into  use,  with,  in  the 
following  May,  the  present  system  of  mul- 
tiples and  coefficients.  This  Board  of  seven 
also   inaugurated    the   Board   of   Visitors,    a 


Historical  Sketch  17 

committee  appointed  to  attend  the  annual 
examination  of  the  Academy  for  the  purpose 
of  making  report,  criticism,  and  recommenda- 
tions. 

The  sloop-of-war  Preble  was  obtained  as  a 
practice  ship  for  the  summer  of  1851.  This 
vessel  in  the  summer  of  1852  made  the  first 
foreign  summer  practice  cruise.  The  training 
of  midshipmen  on  a  ship  commissioned  solely 
for  this  one  purpose  met  with  approval  that 
resulted  in  the  growth  of  a  sentiment  in  favour 
of  making  the  academic  course  continuous, 
breaking  it  only  by  the  summer  practice 
cruises,  instead  of  by  the  three  years  spent  at 
sea  prior  to  the  final  academic  year. 

This  idea  culminated  in  the  adoption  of  such 
a  recommendation  of  the  Academic  Board  by  a 
board  appointed  in  1851,  among  the  members 
of  which  again  is  found  the  first  Superinten- 
dent of  the  Academy,  Commander  Buchanan. 
This  resulted,  November,  1 851,  in  making 
the  course  at  the  Naval  Academy  a  consecu- 
tive one  of  four  years  with  an  annual  summer 
practice  cruise  of  three  months.     This  system 


1 8    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

has  continued  to  the  present  date  despite  the 
existence  of  many  reasons  for  a  partial  return 
to  the  first  system  of  Commander  Buchanan. 
That  the  present  system  may  possibly  not  be 
the  best  is  still  a  debatable  matter,  and  naval 
opinion  appears  to  be  crystallizing  towards  a 
partial  return  to  that  adopted  in  the  beginning 
by  our  sea  officers  by  establishing  a  period  of 
about  foiu-teen  months  prior  to  the  final  aca- 
demic year  to  be  spent  in  a  cruising  ship. 
Such  a  system  would  necessitate  a  five  year 
midshipman  course,  an  increase  of  one  year. 

The  first  graduation  exercises  of  the  Acad- 
emy took  place  at  noon  of  a  June  day  in 
1854.  They  consisted  in  a  muster  of  all 
hands,  prayer  by  the  Chaplain,  a  brief  address 
by  the  Superintendent,  Commander  L.  M. 
Goldsborough,  probably  short  and  to  the 
point  as  became  this  imposing  seaman  of  the 
old  school,  and  a  presentation  of  certificates. 

Discipline  early  became  the  most  important 
factor  in  the  life  of  the  institution  because  the 
change  in  the  education  of  the  midshipmen 
whereby  they  were  required  to  adapt  them- 


Historical  Sketch  19 

selves  to  a  systematic  routine  of  education 
instead  of,  as  formally,  doing  as  they  pleased 
without  restraint  of  any  kind,  naturally 
caused  in  the  midsliipmen  body  an  opposition 
against  lawful  authority  that  had  to  be  quelled 
in  order  that  education  should  continue  to 
advantage.  The  commandant  of  midshipmen 
was,  from  the  start,  charged  with  the  disci- 
pline of  the  student  body.  Especial  import- 
ance was  given  to  this  ofhce  by  Captain 
Blake,  superintendent  for  eight  years.  Its 
first  incumbent  was  Commander  Craven,  a 
celebrated  seaman  of  the  old  Navy.  The 
Preble,  Plymouth,  and  Constitution  were  suc- 
cessively the  training  ships  for  midshipmen 
from  1 85 1- 1 862,  and  Lieutenant  Stephen  B. 
Luce,  head  of  the  department  of  seaman- 
ship, in  1862  wrote  the  Navy's  classic,  Luce's 
Seamanship. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  resigna- 
tions of  midshipmen  who  desired  to  go  South 
began  to  pour  in  and  the  atmosphere  of  the 
Academy  was  one  of  great  unrest.  The  first 
resignation  of  a  midshipman  desirous  of  fol- 


20    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

lowing  the  fortunes  of  his  State  took  place  in 
December,  i860.  After  the  fall  of  Fort  Sum- 
ter, Captain  Blake  grew  uneasy  regarding 
the  safety  of  the  school.  The  arrival  of  North- 
em  troops,  however,  eased  the  situation  some- 
what. The  frigate  Constitution,  which  was 
agroimd  at  low  water,  was  a  source  of  anxiety, 
as  it  was  feared  she  might  fall  a  prey  to  the 
South.  After  great  efforts  she  was  success- 
fully towed  out  of  the  harbour.  The  fall  of 
the  Norfolk  Yard  again  caused  the  superin- 
tendent grave  misgivings  as  to  the  safety  of 
his  students  and  the  Naval  Academy,  and  so 
the  Constitution,  under  command  of  Lieu- 
tenant G.  W.  Rodgers,  sailed  for  New  York 
on  the  25th  of  April,  1861,  thence  proceeding 
to  Newport  where  she  arrived  on  the  9th  of 
May.  The  officers  and  their  families  were 
transfered  from  Annapolis  to  Newport  by  the 
steamer  Baltic,  commanded  for  the  cruise  by 
Lieutenant  C.  R.  P.  Rodgers.  The  books, 
models,  and  apparatus  that  could  be  trans- 
ported were  placed  aboard  her.  The  mid- 
shipmen were  quartered  at  Fort  Adams,  off 


Historical  Sketch  21 

which  the  Constitution  anchored,  and,  under 
the  command  of  Commander  C.  R.  P.  Rodgers, 
Commandant  of  Midshipmen,  the  Naval 
Academy  was  soon  again  in  full  swing,  studies 
beginning  on  Alay  13th.  In  September  the 
Constitution  was  moved  close  to  the  shore  of 
Goat  Island,  the  fourth  class  being  quartered 
on  board  while  the  third  class  was  moved  from 
Fort  Adams  to  quarters  in  the  Atlantic  House. 
In  October,  1862,  the  Santee  reached  Newport 
from  the  Gulf  Blockade  and  became  an  ad- 
ditional school-ship  for  the  Academy.  The 
course  was  here  made  to  total  three  years. 
The  summer  practice  cruises  took  on  the 
aspect  of  actual  duty  applied  to  searching  for 
the  Confederate  cruisers  and  to  keeping 
constant  war  watches  as  a  precaution  against 
surprise  in  any  form.  In  this  manner  much 
excitement  was  furnished.  The  ships  then 
used  were  the  Alacedonian,  Marion,  and  the 
yacht  America. 

This  removal  to  Newport  nearly  resulted 
in  ending  the  Naval  Academy,  for  it  was  con- 
fronted with  the  task  of  turning  out  from 


22    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

raw  material  thoroughly  developed  officers  in 
practically  no  time,  and  without  limitation  as 
to  their  number.  From  1861  to  1865,  858 
midshipmen  were  graduated,  which  large 
number  eventually  blocked  promotion  in 
such  a  manner  that  whereas  in  1868  there 
were  lieutenant  commanders  whose  total  ser- 
vice consisted  of  eight  years,  yet  in  1897  there 
were  ensigns  whose  service  in  that  grade 
extended  over  more  than  eight  years.  The 
War  Department,  which  had  acquired  Fort 
Severn  during  the  war,  was  using  it  as  a  hos- 
pital and  would  not  return  it  to  the  Navy, 
although  requests  that  it  do  so  were  made. 
The  result  was  that  the  Naval  Academy  did 
not  return  to  Annapolis  until  the  summer  of 
1865,  Rear  Admiral  D.  D.  Porter  becoming 
the  superintendent  that  fall.  His  work  as 
superintendent  was  most  notable,  and  all  his 
reforms  and  improvements  were  done  thor- 
oughly and  well.  Military  discipline  under  a 
logical  system  became  a  fact  and  the  Academy 
curriculum  was  reorganized.  For  the  first 
time  the  fact  that  engineering  was  of  immense 


Historical  Sketch  23 

importance  was  recognized;  athletics  were 
inaugurated  in  an  official  manner;  recreation 
in  the  form  of  dances  and  minstrels  by  the 
midshipmen  was  introduced.  A  chaplain  was 
also  added  to  the  staff  of  the  Academy. 
In  Porter's  administration  the  midshipman's 
word  was  accepted  without  reservation  as 
being  the  truth,  a  standard  maintained  to  the 
present  time. 

From  1866,  when  instruction  in  engineering 
was  first  added  to  the  course,  until  1882, 
students  known  as  cadet  engineers  pursued 
a  course  devoted  to  engineering,  that  differ- 
ing greatly  from  the  course  given  the  mid- 
shipmen. In  1870  a  discouraging  piece  of 
legislation  had  been  enacted  whereby  mid- 
sliipmen  at  the  Academy  were  made  "cadet 
midshipmen"  and  thus  deprived  of  the  actual 
rank  formerly  held  by  them.  An  officer  or 
not?  No  one  knew.  In  1882  the  name 
midshipmen  as  a  designation  for  the  student 
body  was  withdrawn  by  act  of  Congress  and 
the  students  became  naval  cadets.  Beginning 
with  the  class  entering  in  1873  the  course  was 


24    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

made  six  years,  the  first  four  being  spent  on 
probation  at  Annapolis,  the  last  two  at  sea. 
From  1889  to  1899  the  course  given  the  naval 
cadets  that  were  selected  for  engineer  duty 
upon  graduation  differed  in  the  final  year  from 
the  course  given  those  selected  for  the  line. 
In  1899  the  line  and  engineer  corps  of  the 
Navy  were  united  into  one  body,  the  line; 
the  graduates  of  the  Academy  being  assigned 
to  fill  the  vacancies  in  the  line,  engineer,  and 
marine  corps.  Thus,  since  the  fall  of  1899, 
the  education  given  to  all  students  throughout 
the  course  has  remained  the  same. 

Since  January,  1904,  the  age  of  admission 
has  remained  at  its  present  status,  that  is  a 
minimum  of  sixteen  and  a  maidmum  of  twenty 
years  of  age  at  the  time  of  the  examination  of 
the  candidate. 

On  July  I,  1902,  came  a  change,  constantly 
desired  by  sea  officers,  in  the  designation  of 
the  students,  the  old  name  of  midshipman 
being  restored  and  the  inappropriate  and 
shore-going  title  of  naval  cadet  being 
abolished. 


Historical  Sketch  25 

The  acts  of  Congress  of  the  years  1903  and 
1906  relating  to  the  Naval  Academy  deal 
exhaustively  with  the  subject  of  hazing  and 
methods  for  stamping  out  the  practice,  which 
apparently  had  crept  into  the  student  body 
as  a  successor  in  part  perhaps  to  the  duello. 
The  custom  appears  to  have  started  in  the 
fall  of  1 87 1  when  some  entering  students  were 
treated  harshly  by  upper  classmen.  Many 
dismissals  resulted  from  this  act  of  the  mid- 
shipmen. In  May,  1874,  the  whole  third 
class  was  deprived  of  its  summer  vaca- 
tion owing  to  a  widespread  outbreak  of 
hazing. 

Since  1873,  when  the  term  was  increased 
from  the  four  years  established  by  the  Board 
of  1 85 1  to  six  years,  the  only  radical  change 
in  the  course  at  the  Academy  took  place  in 
1 9 12  with  the  graduation  of  that  class  as  en- 
signs, both  the  diploma  of  a  midshipman  and 
the  commission  of  an  ensign  in  the  Navy 
being  conferred  upon  graduation. 

The  Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis  now 
educates  and  furnishes  officers  for  the  line, 


26    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

engineer,  construction — through  its  post- 
graduate department — and  marine  corps 
duties  in  the  Navy.  The  remaining  staff 
corps  are  composed  of  men,  specially  prepared 
at  other  medical,  technical,  and  professional 
colleges,  who  win  their  commissions  by  com- 
petitive examinations.  The  midshipmen  of 
the  old  days — too  often  wild,  reckless,  and  way- 
ward young  boys,  put  into  the  Navy  through 
political  influences  as  a  favour  to  constituents, 
sometimes  because  the  boy's  parents  wished 
to  be  rid  of  a  bad  yoimgster — have  thus  ceased 
to  exist,  and  their  places  are  filled  by  highly 
educated  and  trained  young  commissioned 
officers,  the  ensigns  of  our  Navy.  There  is 
thus  at  present  no  sea  officer  in  the  Navy  with 
duties  that  correspond  to  those  of  the  mid- 
shipmen or  reefers  of  the  days  before  the  '45 's. 
The  wild  life  and  hard  times  of  the  "gun 
room,"  so  vividly  told  in  Marrj'-at's  novels 
and  in  the  reminiscences  of  some  retired  Eng- 
lish and  American  naval  officers,  have  ceased, 
being  replaced  by  the  very  quiet  decorum  of 
the  "junior  officers' "  mess. 


CAPTAIN  E.  W.  EBERLE,  U.  S.  NAVY 
The  Superintendent,  1916 


Historical  Sketch  2^ 

*' Now  we^ve  had  quite  enough  of  the  antique  ideas 
oj  those  chaps  who  are  nothing  hut  sailors, 
They  were  well  on  their  way,  hut  this  is  the  day 
of  Science,  Msthetics,  and  Tailors."'^ 

The  Naval  Academy  has  now  completed 
seventy-one  years  of  useful  life  and  has  made 
possible  the  development  of  the  Navy  and  of 
the  sciences  that  go  hand  in  hand  with  such 
progress.  The  graduates  form  the  officers 
upon  whom  the  nation  depends  to  prevent  in 
war  an  enemy  from  ever  reaching  our  shores, 
and  to  maintain  in  peace  friendly  relations 
with  all  nations.  The  service  has  a  record 
of  achievements  in  diplomacy  as  well  as  in 
war  of  which  it  is  most  justly  proud. 

The  men  who  have,  by  their  efforts,  main- 
tained the  high  mental  and  moral  standard  of 
the  Naval  Academy  throughout  the  years  of 
its  life,  weathering  by  their  able  seamanship 
many  a  hea\y  adverse  gale,  must  have  a 
mention  in  this  book  even  though  it  be  the 
brief   one   afforded   by   a   chronological   list. 

I  United  States  Naval  Academy,  by  Park  Benjamin. 
New  York,  19 lo,  p.  308. 


28    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

Such  a  list  of  the  Superintendents  of  the 
Academy  is,  therefore,  appended  as  a  conclu- 
sion to  this  short  recital  of  the  story  of  the 
Naval  Academy. 

SUPERINTENDENTS   OF   THE   UNITED   STATES 
NAVAL  ACADEMY 

Assumed  command 

Commander  Franklin  Buchanan Sept.    3,  1845 

Commander  George  P.  Upshur Mar.  15,  1847 

Commander  Cornelius  K.  Stribling July     i,  1850 

Commander  Louis  M.  Goldsborough.  . .  .Nov.    i,  1853 

Captain  George  S.  Blake Sept.  15,  1857 

Rear  Admiral  David  D.  Porter Sept.    9,  1865 

Commodore  John  L.  Worden Dec.     i,  1869 

Rear   Admiral   Christopher   R.   P. 

RoDGERS Sept.  22,  1874 

Commodore  Foxhall  A.  Parker July     i,  1878 

Rear  Admiral  George  B.  Balch Aug.    2,  1879 

Rear   Admiral   Christopher   R.   P. 

Rodgers June  13,  1881 

Captain  Francis  M.  Ramsay Nov.  14,  1881 

Commander  William  T.  Sampson Sept.    9,  1886 

Captain  Robert  L.  Phythian June  13,  1890 

Captain  Philip  H.  Cooper Nov.  15,  1894 

Rear  Admiral  Frederick  V.  McNair July   15,  1898 

Commander  Richard  Wainwright Mar.  15,  1900 

Captain  Willard  H.  Brownson Nov.    6,  1902 

Rear  Admiral  James  H.  Sands July     i,  1905 

Captain  Charles  J.  Badger July   15,  1907 

Captain  John  M.  Bowyer June  10,  1909 

Captain  John  H.  Gibbons May  15,  191 1 

Captain  William  F.  Fullam Feb.     7,  1914 

Captain  Edward  W.  Eberle Sept.  20,  1915 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  CANDIDATE 

"J  believe  in  celerity." — Farragut. 

The  instant  a  boy  becomes  possessed  of  an 
appointment  to  the  Naval  Academy  he  is  a 
"candidate"  and  lives  and  thinks  as  one, 
being  spoken  of  by  that  designation,  empha- 
sized with  a  little  condescension  and  high 
mightiness  by  the  more  fortunate  boys  al- 
ready wearing  the  uniform  of  the  naval  service 
as  midshipmen.  Candidates  for  midshipmen 
are  boys  from  sixteen  to  twenty  years  of  age 
who  come  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  all 
walks  of  Hfe. 

The  appointments  of  midshipmen  to  the 
Naval  Academy  are  now  made  under  an  Act 
of  Congress  approved  February  15,  191 6, 
which  reads: 

*9 


30    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

"An  Act  Providing  for  an  increase  in  the  num- 
ber of  midshipmen  at  the  United  States  Naval 
Academy." 

"Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of 
Representatives  of  the  United  States  of  America 
in  Congress  assembled,  That  hereafter  there  shall 
be  allowed  at  the  United  States  Naval  Academy 
three  midshipmen  for  each  Senator,  Representa- 
tive, and  Delegate  in  Congress,  one  for  Porto 
Rico,  two  for  the  District  of  Columbia,  ten  ap- 
pointed each  year  at  large,  and  fifteen  appointed 
annually  from  enlisted  men  of  the  Navy  as  now 
authorized  by  law." 

In  July,  1 91 6,  Congress,  in  its  Naval  Appro- 
priation Act  passed  in  the  interest  of  prepared- 
ness for  war,  amended  this  law  relating  to  the 
appointment  of  midshipmen  to  the  Naval 
Academy  by  allowing  the  President  fifteen 
appointments  annually  instead  of  ten;  allow- 
ing the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  twenty-five 
appointments  annually  instead  of  fifteen  from 
the  enlisted  men  of  the  Navy;  and  allowing 
the  Governor  General  of  the  Philippine  Islands 
to  designate  one  Filipino  for  each  class  who 
upon  graduation  will  not  be  entitled  to  a  com- 
mission as  an  officer  in  the  United  States  Navy. 


The  Candidate  31 

Under  the  above  law  and  its  amendment  the 
maximum  number  of  midshipmen  that  may  be 
present  at  the  Academy  at  any  one  time  is 
1762.  At  the  opening  of  the  Academic  Year 
1915-1916  when  the  maximum  permitted  by 
law  was  1094  there  were  present  918  mid- 
shipmen. Therefore  in  the  future  under  the 
present  law  the  maximum  number  of  mid- 
shipmen at  the  Academy  will  probably  be 
approximately  1478. 

Whenever  a  midshipman  drops  out  during 
his  course  for  any  reason,  the  Congressman 
representing  the  district  from  which  he  was 
appointed  is  notified  by  the  Bureau  of  Naviga- 
tion in  order  that  he  may  designate  an  ap- 
pointee to  take  the  next  entrance  examination 
to  the  Academy  and  thus  fill  at  the  earliest 
moment  the  vacancy  in  the  regiment  of 
midshipmen. 

A  boy  is  nominated  to  the  Bureau  of  Navi- 
gation for  an  appointment  as  a  Midshipman 
in  the  Navy  of  the  United  States  by  the 
person  authorized  by  law  to  do  so,  and  this 
Bureau  then  sends  the  nominee  a  letter  of 


32    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

notification  and  permission  to  take  the  en- 
trance examinations.  Several  boys  are  usu- 
ally nominated  for  each  appointment,  a 
principal  and  successive  alternates.  They 
must  then  accept  the  appointment  by  filling 
out  and  signing  the  following  letter: 


,191 

Sirs: 

I  hereby  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  communica- 
tion   of 

giving  me  authority  to  report  for  examination  as  to  my 
qualification  for  appointment  as  a  Midshipman  in  the 
United  States  Navy,  and  to  inform  you  of  my  intention 
to  report  accordingly. 

In  consideration  of  the  foregoing  and  of  my  appoint- 
ment as  a  Midshipman  in  the  United  States  Navy,  should 
I  receive  such  appointment,  I  hereby  engage  with  the 
consent  of  my  parent  (or  guardian)  that  I  will  serve  in 
the  Navy  of  the  United  States  during  the  pleasure  of  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  unless  sooner  discharged 
by  competent  authority. 

Respectfully, 


{Each  name  must  be  written  in  full) 


The  action  of  my in  signing 

the  above  meets  my  approval,  and  should  he  receive  an 
appointment  as  a  Midshipman,  I  hereby  give  my  consent 
to  his  acceptance  thereof;  and  I  hereby  give  him  my  full 
permission  to  serve  in  the  United  States  Navy  during  the 


The  Candidate  33 

pleasure  of  the  President  of  the   United   States,  unless 

sooner  discharged.     He  was  bom  at 

,  on  the day  of 


To  THE  Bureau  of  Navigation, 
Navy  Department, 

Washington,  D.  C. 

To  obtain  an  appointment  in  many  cases 
takes  years  of  trial  and  work  and  sometimes 
entails  final  disappointment.  Usually  the 
coveted  appointment  comes  as  the  result  of 
winning  a  competitive  examination  held  by 
senators  and  representatives  and  open  to 
everyone  who  is  a  legal  resident  of  the  State 
or  district  to  which  the  appointment  to  the 
Academy  is  apportioned.  The  President  also 
holds  competitive  examinations  for  the  fifteen 
appointments  per  year  that  he  is  allowed  by 
the  law.  Of  late  years  the  boys  allowed  to 
compete  for  these  appointments  are  limited 
to  the  sons  of  Army  and  Na\'y  officers,  for 
these  have  practically  no  other  means  avail- 
able for  securing  an  appointment  in  view  of 
the  fact  that  seldom  does  a  ser\ace  family 
possess  a  legal  residence.     An  enHsted  man  of 


34    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

the  Navy  or  Marine  Corps  is  entitled  to  take 
a  competitive  examination  foradmission  if  he 
is  not  over  twenty  years  of  age  on  the  date 
of  entrance  to  the  Naval  Academy,  and  at 
that  time  is  a  service  man  of  one  year's  stand- 
ing, appointments  for  twenty-five  such  men 
being  available  to  the  Secretary  each  year. 
Those  enlisted  men  who  signify  their  desire  to 
compete  for  an  appointment  are  accorded 
special  encouragement  by  the  officers  tmder 
whom  they  are  serving  in  the  way  of  urging 
to  study,  excusing  from  ship's  duties  to  do  so, 
and  giving  special  instruction.  The  experi- 
ence gained  while  serving  before  the  mast 
is  one  of  the  greatest  value  to  the  embryo 
officer  as  he  acquires  an  insight  into  the 
habits  of  thought  and  living  of  the  enlisted 
man  that  in  after  years  makes  him  a  better 
leader  of  men  than  he  could  become  through 
any  amount  of  education.  When  such  a  man 
makes  good  he  has  a  right  ever  after  to  point 
with  pride  to  the  fact  that  he  has  made  the 
wonderful  step,  so  dear  to  all  seamen,  "from 
forecastle  to  cabin."     Out  of  sixty  such  men 


The  Candidate  35 

who  took  the  examinations  in  1916  seventeen 
passed  unconditionally.  This  means  twenty- 
eight  per  cent. 

After  a  boy  secures  and  accepts  his  appoint- 
ment as  a  candidate — the  most  difficult  step 
towards  becoming  a  naval  officer — both  he  and 
his  parents  begin  to  anxiously  question  them- 
selves as  to  whether  or  not  he  is  sufficiently 
prepared  to  pass  the  entrance  examinations. 
Many  excellent  schools  make  a  special  point 
of  pushing  boys  through  these  tests.  Such 
extra  coaching  is  hardly  required  if  one's 
grounding  in  grammar  and  the  first  year  in 
high  school  work  is  thorough  and  w^ell  under- 
stood. Should  the  candidate  decide  that  he 
cannot  imassisted  sufficiently  well  review  his 
work  or  cover  any  advance  subjects  for  en- 
trance, he  should  take  a  course  of  from  one  to 
three  months  at  one  of  these  preparatory 
schools. 

A  review  in  painstaking  detail  is  of  course 
an  essential  and  must  not  be  neglected.  If 
a  boy  knows  either  French  or  Spanish  and 
has  already  studied  much  of  the    subjects 


36    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

taken  up  in  the  first-year  course,  he  has  a  great 
advantage.  Languages  require,  when  abso- 
lutely new  to  one,  too  much  time  in  prepara- 
tion, time  that  should  be  spent  on  other 
subjects.  If  a  boy  does  not  know  either  of 
these  foreign  languages,  let  him  utilize  his  spare 
time  and  study  one  even  though  ever  so  little. 
The  boy  upon  entering  the  service  should  be 
made  to  realize  that  time  counts  in  everything 
that  he  is  to  do  even  to  the  inclusion  of  the  en- 
trance examinations.  One  of  the  important 
lessons  to  be  taught  by  the  course  at  the  Acad- 
emy is  that  decisions  must  not  only  be  correct 
but  that  they  also  must  be  made  quickly. 
Surely  an  enemy  will  never  wait  to  attack  while 
one  is  indecisively  making  up  one's  mind  as  to 
the  proper  procedure.  Such  training  cannot 
begin  too  soon.  Sufficient  time  is  allowed  for 
the  entrance  examinations  and  accurate  work 
is  expected.  To  those  reading  the  papers  an 
interesting  insight  is  given  to  the  methods  of 
instruction  in  use  in  the  different  sections  of 
this  country,  the  compilation  of  which  obser- 
vations would  furnish  useful  data. 


The  Candidate  37 

It  is  well  to  emphasize  the  need  of  modern 
methods  of  solving  problems,  as  the  long  in- 
volved methods  of  extracting  roots  of  numbers, 
imfortunately  still  taught  in  some  grammar 
schools,  will  not  do ;  such  antiquated  methods 
being  a  veritable  waste  of  precious  time.  Also, 
in  solving  problems,  a  statement  of  the  same 
should  be  made;  for  when  this  is  done  it 
invariably  will  be  discovered  that  many  factors 
cancel  out  and  but  a  moment  will  suffice  to 
solve  problems  that  have  very  involved 
statements. 

Many  boys  make  a  poor  showing  in  the 
mathematical  subjects.  These  must  be  known 
thoroughly  in  preparation  for  the  further 
studies  in  algebra  and  geometry  beyond  the 
scope  of  the  entrance  requirements.  After 
having  demonstrated  his  knowledge  of  the 
subjects  prescribed  for  entrance,  by  success- 
fully passing  the  examinations  based  upon 
them,  it  is  presumed  that  the  new  midshipman 
is  prepared  at  once  to  proceed  with  topics 
beyond  those  requirements  in  the  courses  in 
advanced  algebra  and  solid  geometry.      The 


38    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

importance  of  thorough  preparation  in  mathe- 
matics to  the  full  extent  of  the  requirements 
set  forth  in  the  regulations  governing  the 
examination  and  admission  of  midshipmen 
is  great;  for,  after  admission  to  the  Naval 
Academy,  the  character  and  amount  of  in- 
struction from  the  outset  leave  little  or  no 
opportunity  for  one  imperfectly  fitted  to 
make  up  his  deficiencies  and  render  it  impos- 
sible for  him  to  derive  full  benefit  from  his 
instruction  or  perhaps  even  to  maintain  a 
satisfactory  standing. 

The  foregoing  points  cover  certain  im- 
portant items  that  have  often  come  to  the 
attention  of  officers  when  they  are  associated 
with  students  desirous  of  entering  the  Naval 
Academy. 

The  entrance  examinations  follow  closely 
the  same  lines  from  year  to  year.  The  order 
of  subjects  is  changed  at  times,  but  upon  re- 
quest the  Bureau  of  Navigation  will  notify 
candidates  as  to  the  order  in  which  the  sub- 
jects will  be  given  out. 

Two  examinations  are  held  yearly,  the  first 


The  Candidate  39 

beginning  the  third  Tuesday  in  February, 
and  the  second  on  the  third  Tuesday  in  April. 
The  choice  of  taking  the  February  or  April 
examinations  rests  with  the  individual,  who 
should  decide  with  the  knowledge  fixed  in  his 
mind  that,  if  he  takes  the  February  examina- 
tions and  fails  he  is  debarred  from  renewing 
the  attempt  in  April.  This  ruling  is  fixed  by 
law  for  the  reason  that  the  staff  at  the  Acad- 
emy is  inadequate  in  size  to  handle  two 
examinations  a  year  for  every  candidate. 
This  rule  can  be  departed  from  onl}^  by  the 
action  of  the  Academic  Board,  an  action  that 
is  taken  seldom  and  only  under  unusual 
circumstances.  The  candidate  can  try  but 
once  for  a  particular  class,  a  decision  that  is 
logical  from  all  points  of  view,  but  he  may  try 
to  enter  once  each  year  as  long  as  he  remains 
eligible  by  reason  of  his  age.  If  the  candi- 
date is  well  grounded,  it  is  wise  to  take  the 
FehracLTV  examinations  and  then  enjoy  a  rest 
prior  to  the  physical  examinations  in  June. 
If  not  well  prepared  in  February  the  April 
examinations  should  be  awaited. 


40    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

The  examination  questions  are  drawn  up 
by  the  officers  of  the  Academy,  and  one  copy 
is  forwarded  by  the  Superintendent  to  the 
Civil  Service  Commission  at  Washington. 
This  commission,  upon  receipt  of  single  copies 
of  the  questions,  has  them  printed  in  their 
customary  form  for  presentation  to  the  can- 
didates. As  the  officers  of  the  Academy  never 
see  these  printed  sheets,  even  for  proof  read- 
ing, errors  are  sometimes  made  in  the  printing, 
one  question  in  geometry  being  recently  so 
mutilated  that  it  was  absurd.  Upon  the 
completion  of  the  examinations  in  compliance 
with  the  regulations  of  the  Civil  Service  ex- 
amination, all  work  performed  by  the  candi- 
dates, including  all  sheets  of  rough  or  scratch 
work,  surplus  blank  sheets  furnished  for  use 
in  answering  the  questions,  and  even  the  soiled 
blotters  the  candidates  may  have  used,  are 
collected  by  the  examiner  who  has  supervision 
under  the  Civil  Service  Commission,  and  are 
forwarded  direct  to  the  Academy  for  examina- 
tion and  for  grading  of  the  work  by  the 
instructors  there. 


•-?^ 


The  Candidate  '  41 

The  examinations  occupy  three  days.  The 
final  decision  as  to  the  admittance  of  a  can- 
didate is  made  by  the  Academic  Board  of  the 
Academy.  This  procedure  gives  fair  play  to 
all  and  is  typical  of  the  endeavour  made 
throughout  the  service  to  treat  all  alike  with 
impartial  justice  and  greatest  consideration. 

The  different  home  surroundings  and  con- 
ditions imder  which  the  candidates  take  their 
examinations  affect  the  results  somewhat. 
Recently  a  young  man,  fearing  that  he  had 
not  obtained  a  passing  marie,  wrote  the  Super- 
intendent requesting  another  trial  on  the 
ground  that  he  had  been  obliged  to  write  his 
papers  while  sitting  in  the  sorting  or  work- 
room of  a  western  village  post-office.  As  the 
examination  took  place  during  rush  hoiirs, 
when  every  person,  from  miles  around,  came 
for  his  mail,  the  candidate  was  not  only 
annoyed  by  questions  as  to  what  he  was 
doing  and  why  he  was  doing  it,  but  also  by 
the  disparaging  remarks  made  by  these  neigh- 
bourly friends,  who,  though  meaning  well, 
blundered  sadly. 


42     Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

"Why  waste  your  time,  Jack,  at  this  stuff, 
you  never  can  pass?" 

"Go  home  and  get  to  work,  your  place  is 
on  the  ranch,  not  at  sea." 

In  addition  he  was  trying  to  spell  words  from 
dictation  by  the  postmaster,  who  grotesquely 
mispronounced  many  of  them.  When  it  is 
remembered  that  a  misspelled  word  deducts 
from  the  mark  two  tenths  for  each  of  the  first 
five  misspelled  and  one  tenth  for  any  addi- 
tional misspelling,  thus  allowing  but  ten  words 
of  the  forty  given  to  be  misspelled  if  the  can- 
didate is  to  pass,  such  conditions  are  surely 
discouraging  to  earnest  boys  who  are  strug- 
gling hard  to  enter  upon  a  life  profession. 
Spelling  with  a  weight  of  one  and  grammar 
with  a  weight  of  two  are  combined  to  give 
the  mark  in  EngHsh,  so  that  a  fair  knowledge 
of  grammar  quite  materially  helps  the  poor 
speller  to  obtain  a  satisfactory  mark  in  Eng- 
lish. In  the  case  just  cited  the  boy  was 
passed.  Even  the  largest  cities  are  not  ex- 
empt from  criticism  on  the  pronunciation  of 
the  examiner.     In  April,  in  one  of  the  edu- 


The  Candidate  43 

cational  centre  cities  in  the  East,  the  word 
"bicycle"  was  pronounced  "beesi'ckel"  by 
the  Civil  Service  Examiner  to  the  despair  of 
the  candidates,  until  one,  by  question,  brought 
out  the  fact  that  it  was  a  machine  with  two 
wheels,  after  which  its  spelling  became  plain 
sailing.  To  pass  the  entrance  examinations 
the  candidates  must  obtain  a  2.5  on  a  scale 
of  a  4.0  as  the  perfect  mark.  This  is  but  62,5 
per  cent.,  and  is  thus  materially  lower  than 
seventy-five  per  cent  required  in  the  entrance 
tests  for  most  of  the  colleges  of  the  country. 

Until  recent  years,  all  entrance  examinations 
were  held  only  at  the  Naval  Academy  itself, 
a  rather  expensive  proceeding  for  the  un- 
successful candidate.  To  avoid  this  expense 
the  practice  of  holding  examinations  in  four 
hundred  and  eight  cities  and  towns,  through- 
out the  whole  country  was  inaugurated. 

The  examinations  are  not  hard  or  long  as 
these  recent  results  bear  witness :  In  February, 
1916,  examinations  out  of  227  examined  can- 
didates, 99  were  passed;  and  in  April,  19 16, 
out  of  the   12 1 6  candidates  who  submitted 


44    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

papers,  453  were  passed  for  entrance.  As 
Congress  had  enacted  but  a  short  time  prior 
to  this  a  law  providing  for  a  large  number  of 
additional  midshipmen,  the  majority  of  the 
boys  who  presented  themselves  as  candidates 
in  the  April  tests  had  not  expected  appoint- 
ments and  therefore  really  had  had  an  imusu- 
ally  short  time  for  preparation. 

It  is  well  to  study  carefully  the  detailed 
regulations  for  entrance,  together  with  the 
physical  and  mental  requirements  given  in 
Appendix  II  of  this  book.  It  is  worthy  of 
note  that  the  text-books  from  which  the  ex- 
aminations in  English  subjects  are  compiled 
and  those  which  express  fully  the  extent  of 
the  ground  covered  by  the  mathematical 
subjects  are  listed  in  the  regulations  governing 
admission  to  the  Naval  Academy. 

To  avoid  a  most  heart-rending  disappoint- 
ment, namely  that  of  being  rejected  by  the 
medical  board  after  having  passed  the  mental 
requirements,  a  physical  examination  given 
by  the  candidate's  home  physician  is  an 
essential.     This    precaution    should    not    be 


The  Candidate  45 

omitted.  Such  an  examination  may  often 
be  obtained  at  one  of  the  many  Naval  Re- 
cruiting Stations  that  are  to  be  foimd  in  many 
cities  throughout  the  countr>\  If  the  candi- 
date at  any  time  should  be  in  the  vicinity  of 
Annapolis,  an  unofficial  preliminary  examina- 
tion will  be  made  by  the  medical  officers  of 
the  Academy  upon  request  to  the  Superin- 
tendent. 

If  the  candidate  passes  mentally,  he  will 
receive  an  important  looking  official  docu- 
ment informing  him  of  that  fact,  and  di- 
recting him  to  report  to  a  Board  of  Medical 
Examiners  at  Annapolis  at  a  date  early  in 
June,  usually  the  first  week,  for  his  physical 
examinations.  This  date  can  be  advanced 
by  request  to  the  Superintendent. 

The  physical  examination  is  held  in  the 
Sick  Quarters  on  the  fourth  floor  of  Bancroft 
Hall  as  the  dormitory  or  quarters  of  the  mid- 
shipmen is  caUed.  The  presence  of  three 
uniformed  sirrgeons  does  not  greatly  contri- 
bute to  the  candidate's  peace  of  mind.  The 
examination  is  thorough  and  is  proceeded  with 


46    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

quickly.  The  candidate  leaves  the  room  with- 
out official  information  as  to  his  success  or 
failure  although  he  will  naturally  be  almost 
certain  in  his  own  mind  of  the  result. 

About  seventeen  per  cent,  of  the  candidates 
fail  upon  their  first  physical  examination  due 
to  defects  that  can  be  readily  corrected  by 
treatment.  A  candidate  should  take  the 
time  before  reporting  to  have  diseased  or 
enlarged  tonsils  and  adenoids  removed,  and 
to  have  his  teeth  put  in  thoroughly  good  con- 
dition by  capable  dentists.  Deafness  suffi- 
cient to  cause  failure  to  pass  is  often  due  to 
causes  that  proper  treatment  will  readily 
remove.  These  defects  are  common  causes 
of  rejection.  As  a  close  estimate  it  may  be 
stated  that  about  eight  per  cent,  of  the  can- 
didates are  finally  rejected  physically. 

At  the  time  of  one's  arrival  for  enrollment, 
the  latter  part  of  May  or  early  Jime,  the  quaint 
old  town  of  Annapolis  is  at  its  best,  being  full 
of  the  gay  social  life  attending  upon  the  gradu- 
ation from  the  Naval  Academy  of  some  two 
hundred   midshipmen,   the   majority   having 


THE  STATE  HOUSE 


Pholo  by  McAboy 


A    COLONIAL    RESIDENCE,    ANNAPOLIS 

THE  BRICE  HOUSE 


The  Candidate  47 

parents,  relatives,  and  friends  present  to  add 
to  and  to  take  part  in  the  social  functions 
of  the  graduation  week,  which  ends  with  the 
departure  on  leave  of  the  graduates  and  the 
sailing  of  the  three  undergraduate  classes 
upon  the  three-month's  summer  cruise. 

While  wandering  about  the  grounds  the 
candidate  will  doubtless  be  accosted  by  some 
superior  beings  in  the  shape  of  midshipmen, 
who,  nevertheless,  feel  sympathy  for  the  can- 
didate in  his  strange  surroundings: — "Hey, 
mister!  What  made  you  want  to  go  to  sea?'* 
"Say,  will  you  look  at  that  candidate!  He 
is  about  the  ratiest  bird  I've  ever  laid  eyes 
upon!  The  Navy  has  certainly  gone  to  the 
dogs,"  etc.  etc. 

Annapolis,  at  present  a  town  of  8609  (cen- 
sus 19 10),  has  been  the  capital  of  Maryland 
since  1694  when  the  State  government  was 
moved  to  Anne  Arundel  Town, — now  An- 
napolis— on  the  Severn  from  St.  Marys,  located 
on  the  river  of  that  name,  just  inside  of  Point 
Lookout  on  the  north  side  of,  and  near  the 
mouth    of    the    Potomac   River.     The   can- 


48    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

didate  takes  his  first  lesson  in  navigation 
here,  and  no  easy  task  is  that  of  learning  to 
navigate  the  streets  of  this  provincial  town. 
These  streets,  which  are  rough  with  uneven 
sidewalks  that  are  blocked  at  unexpected 
places  by  the  old-fashioned  house  stoops, 
radiate  as  the  spokes  of  a  wheel  from  two 
circles  located  not  far  from  each  other;  those 
of  the  State  House  and  of  Saint  Anne's  Church. 
The  intersections  of  these  streets  complicate 
matters,  and,  as  if  this  were  not  sufficient  to 
confuse  a  stranger,  many  alleys,  some  digni- 
fied by  names,  as  Wayman's  Alley,  Tate's 
Alley,  Andrew's  Al'y,  Hyde  Al'y,  make  num- 
erous short  cuts.  Cases  of  people  becoming 
lost  in  this  small  city  are  not  unknown.  The 
names  of  the  streets  of  Annapolis  remind 
one  of  English  history,  for  one  walks  on 
the  Duke  of  Gloucester  Street,  King  George, 
Prince  George,  and  Hanover;  and  two  of 
London's  highways,  Fleet  and  Comhill,  were 
added  to  this  little  English  town  as  also  was 
Chancery  Lane. 

Old    colonial    Annapolis    offers    much    of 


The  Candidate  49 

interest,  containing,  as  it  does,  the  finest 
examples  of  pre-revolutionary  brick  mansions, 
once  the  homes  of  the  very  gayest  of  Colonial 
hfe  in  the  days  of  1750,  when  not  a  town  of 
England  could  boast  of  so  many  fashionable 
and  handsome  women.  The  Ridout  house 
built  b}^  John  Ridout,  Secretary'  to  Horatio 
Sharpe,  the  famous  Colonial  Governor  of 
Maryland;  Acton,  with  spacious  grounds 
sloping  to  the  Spa;  the  Scott;  the  Carroll; 
the  Brice;  the  Paca,  now  the  hotel  known  as 
Carvel  Hall;  the  Han\^ood;  the  Chase,  and 
the  Ogle  residences  were  all  erected  between 
1740  and  1770,  and  represent  much  of  interest 
and  beauty. 

The  State  House  is  of  Colonial  date,  having 
been  erected  in  1 772-1 774.  The  picturesque 
dome,  the  landmark  of  the  city,  was  not  added, 
however,  until  after  the  Revolution.  In  this 
building,  on  the  23d  of  December,  1783,  Gen- 
eral Washington  resigned  his  commission  as 
Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Continental  Army, 
and  here  also  the  treaty  with  Great  Britain  was 
ratified  in  1 784 .     This  structure  alone  furnishes 


50    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

much  of  interest  to  the  candidate  as  he  looks 
about  its  rooms,  at  its  paintings,  and  from 
the  dome  takes  in  the  exceptionally  beautiful 
view  afforded  of  the  bay,  the  city,  and  the 
Naval  Academy. 

Saint  Anne's  Church,  the  starting  point  of 
the  second  series  of  radiating  streets,  contains 
the  silver  communion  ser\dce  and  alms  basin 
made  by  a  court  silver-smith  of  London  and 
presented  to  the  church  by  King  William  III 
in  1695.  The  present  structure  is  on  the  site 
of  the  first  church,  though  it  dates  only  from 
the  year  1859. 

Saint  John's  College,  with  its  magnificent 
trees,  is  a  beautiful  spot,  rich  in  historical 
traditions.  This  college  dates  from  1694, 
when  it  was  known  as  King  William's  School, 
the  present  name  being  given  it  in  1784.  The 
most  famous  tree  on  its  campus  is  the  Liberty 
tree,  under  which,  in  1652,  was  made  a  treaty 
with  the  Susquehannocks,  and  where  from 
1 770- 1 775  many  assemblies  of  patriots  met. 

Really  what  more  fitting  place  for  the  Naval 
Academy  could  be  found  than  this  town  of 


The  Candidate  51 

Annapolis  with  its  memories  of  greatness  ever 
to  the  fore. 

Annapolis  explored,  the  candidate  awaits 
the  day  of  his  entrance  to  the  Academy. 
Before  entering  he  must  provide  himself 
with  the  entrance  deposit  for  the  necessary 
outfit  of  clothes,  uniforms,  bedding,  books^ 
etc.  Many  boys  have  difficulty  in  furnishing 
the  three  hundred  dollars  that  is  required. 
One  young  man,  promised  an  appointment, 
had  no  means  of  obtaining  this  amount  and 
so  he  conceived  the  idea  of  enlisting  in  the 
service  as  an  apprentice  seaman.  He  did  so 
at  the  nearest  recruiting  station,  served  some 
time  in  the  Navy,  and  saved  his  salary  care- 
fully. As  the  time  for  the  examination  ap- 
proached, he  was  ordered  to  the  station  ship 
at  the  Academy,  reached  his  destination  at 
Government  expense,  and  took  the  test  there. 
By  this  means  he  had  saved  enough  to  make 
the  required  deposit. 

The  official  notice  as  to  the  result  of  the 
physical  examination,  soon  arrives,  and  if  all 
has  gone  well  on  this  examination  the  future 


52    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

officer  on  the  day  after  it  reports  to  the  Super- 
intendent's office  where  he  is  directed  to  the 
office  of  the  Paymaster  to  make  the  required 
deposit.  In  return  a  receipt  is  issued  that 
he  is  directed  to  show  at  the  office  of  the 
Superintendent  in  the  administration  build- 
ing. A  time  is  then  indicated  when  he  is  to 
report  and  take  the  oath  under  the  personal 
eye  of  the  Superintendent.  In  signing  this 
document  the  candidate  for  the  first  time  sees 
the  title  "Midshipman,  U.  S.  Navy"  beneath 
his  name.  A  proud  and  solemn  moment  is 
this  of  swearing  in  and  one  often  remembered 
as  being  the  start  in  an  honourable  profession, 
one  that  always  exacts  ones'  best  efforts, 
both  because  of  its  past  traditions  and  its 
present  needs. 

OATH 

UNITED   STATES    NAVAL    ACADEMY 

I ,  of  the  State  of ... . 


years,  having  been  appointed  a  Midshipman,  do  solemnly 
swear  (or  affirm)  that  I  will  support  and  defend  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States  against  all  enemies,  foreign 
and  domestic;  that  I  will  bear  true  faith  and  allegiance 


The  Candidate  53 

to  the  same;  that  I  take  this  obligation  freely,  without 
any  mental  reservation  or  purpose  of  evasion;  and  that  I 
will  well  and  faithfully  discharge  the  duties  of  the  oflSce 
on  which  I  am  about  to  enter:  So  help  me  God. 


Midshipman,  U.  S.  Navy. 


Then  the  registration  is  made  under  the 
eye  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Naval  Academy; 
among  many  entries  required  is  that  of  the 
midshipman's  religious  belief.  His  next  duty 
is  in  the  nature  of  life  insurance.  As  Congress 
has  made  provision  whereby  the  dependent 
relatives  of  persons  in  the  naval  service  who 
lose  their  lives  in  the  discharge  of  duty  re- 
ceive a  sum  equal  to  the  pay  of  the  deceased 
for  six  months,  the  midshipman  must  make 
out  a  "beneficiary  slip"  stating  to  whom  this 
money  is  to  go  in  case  of  his  death.  These 
details  completed,  the  midshipman  will  prob- 
ably never  again  enter  the  Administration 
Building  during  his  course  unless  it  be  as 
officer  of  the  day  to  bring  the  log  (the  record 
or  journal  of  the  weather  and  events  of  each 
day)  for  the  signature  of  the  Superintendent, 
to  receive  from  the  Superintendent  a  commis- 


54    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

sion  as  a  midshipman  officer  in  the  regiment, 
or  in  the  unfortunate  event  of  his  having 
committed  a  grave  breach  of  the  regulations 
requiring  a  personal  interview  with  the  Super- 
intendent. Now  he  proceeds  to  Bancroft 
Hall,  reports  to  its  executive  officer,  a  lieu- 
tenant commander  in  the  Navy,  who  gives 
him  his  assignment  to  a  room  and  a  direction 
slip,  together  with  a  regulation  book,  a  requi- 
sition book,  and  some  leaflets  to  study  at  his 
leisure.  This  direction  slip  contains  instruc- 
tions or  listed  tasks  which  the  midshipman 
must  do  consecutively,  checking  the  comple- 
tion of  each  one  imtil  all  are  finished,  when  he 
will  be  ready  to  take  up  the  summer  routine 
of  drills  and  instruction. 

After  reporting  to  the  Duty  Officer,  as  the 
naval  officer  in  charge  of  the  discipline  of  the 
building  is  called,  he  hunts  up  his  room  and 
places  his  baggage  therein.  The  candidate 
has  thus  become  a  midshipman,  a  member 
of  the  fourth  class,  and,  in  the  language  of 
the  Academy,  a  "plebe." 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  NEW  MIDSHIPIMAN 

''Obedience  is  the  soul  of  the  Navy." — Cradock. 

The  title  "midshipman" — the  most  nauti- 
cal thing  about  the  Naval  Academy — origi- 
nated in  the  early  days  of  the  navies  when 
ships  began  to  be  officered  and  manned  by 
sailors  in  the  place  of  soldiers.  The  young 
boys  then  placed  upon  ships  as  understudies 
to  the  officers  were  utilized  to  carry  orders 
from  one  deck  to  another,  not  only  with  the 
purpose  of  instructing  them  in  the  manner 
in  which  the  routine  of  a  ship  of  the  line  was 
conducted,  but  also  of  insuring  that  orders 
given  by  the  officers  were  intelligently  de- 
livered to  the  persons  to  be  affected  thereby, 
which  persons  were  out  of  hearing  distance. 

These  old  ships  had  many  decks.     The  officer 
55 


56    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

in  charge  of  the  vessel  was  habitually  either 
on  the  spar  deck  or  on  the  poop.  The  young- 
sters during  drills  and  evolutions  were  sta- 
tioned near  the  break  of  the  poop;  that  is 
near  the  mid-length  of  the  ship,  or  midships, 
as  the  term  is;  hence  the  name  midshipman 
naturally  followed.  These  midshipmen  being 
more  agile  as  well  as  quicker- witted  than  older 
seamen  were  most  efficient  as  messengers, 
and  they  grew  in  importance  and  progressed 
to  the  rank  and  commission  of  line  officers. 
As  these  appointments  were  the  easy  road  to 
a  commission,  men  of  high  social  or  poUtical 
position  and  wealth  often  obtained  such  posi- 
tions for  their  sons.  One  of  the  stations  of 
midshipmen  was  aloft  where  they  led  the  men 
and  directed  the  reefing  of  top-sails ;  hence  the 
word  "reefer"  sometimes  applied  to  them. 
The  short  coat,  or  reefer,  now  worn  by  mid- 
shipmen was  adopted  as  being  suitable  for 
work  aloft  and  received  its  name  from  this 
use. 

Possibly  the  new  midshipman  after  finding 
his   bare   room    and    dropping   his    suit-case 


The  New  Midshipman  57 

there  does  not  ponder  long  over  these  things, 
for,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  there  is  not  much  time 
in  which  to  think.  He  has  entered  upon  a 
busy  life,  one  that  will  keep  him  on  the  go 
continuously,  and  one  that  will  do  much  to 
lessen  any  feeling  of  homesickness  he  may 
suffer.  If  the  new  midshipman  before  his 
entrance  to  the  Academy,  has  not  read  Mar- 
ryat's  Midshipman  Easy  and  Peter  Simple  in 
order  to  become  tnily  "sea-going,"  he  will 
find  that  he  will  be  kept  so  busy  afterwards 
that  this  part  of  his  education  must  be  omitted 
and  he  must  become  a  sailor  without  it. 

When  he  visited  the  office  of  the  executive 
officer  of  Bancroft  Hall,  a  direction  slip  was 
handed  to  him.  Glancing  at  it  he  sees  that 
he  must  now  proceed  to  the  midshipmen's 
store  and  equip  himself  with  the  necessary 
clothes  and  bedding  for  his  summer's  work, 
in  other  words  he  must  "draw  his  outfit." 

Articles  in  the  midshipmen's  store  are  sold 
as  close  to  wholesale  prices  as  possible  in  order 
to  help  reduce  the  cost  of  living  to  the  mid- 
shipman who,  immediately  upon  signing  the 


58    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

oath,  commences  to  receive  a  salary  of  fifty 
dollars  per  month.  This  money  is  not  paid 
direct  to  the  midshipman,  but  the  account  of 
it  is  kept  by  the  pay  officer  and  the  cost  of 
all  articles  drawn  is  charged  against  it.  In 
addition,  a  sum  of  one  hundred  and  eighty 
dollars  per  annum  is  withheld  in  order  to  pay 
for  the  graduation  uniforms,  making  a  total 
reservation  of  not  less  than  seven  himdred  and 
twenty  dollars.  This  wise  provision  together 
with  the  requirement  that  no  debts  be  con- 
tracted by  midshipmen  insures  that  graduates 
may  enter  upon  their  sea-service  as  junior 
officers  free  from  debts.  Parents  are  requested 
not  to  send  money  to  their  midshipmen  sons. 
Thus  all  midshipmen  are  put  upon  the  same 
financial  footing  and  are  compelled  to  acquire 
the  habit  of  taking  care  of  their  salary.  A 
pass-book  showing  the  status  of  his  account 
is  submitted  to  each  midshipman  for  his 
examination,  checking,  and  signature  each 
month.  A  mess  entrance  fee  of  thirty  dol- 
lars, which  is  returned  when  the  midshipman 
leaves  the  Academy,  is  set  aside  in  order  to 


ENTRANCE  TO  THE  QUARTERS 


JtS       ' 


\aval  School 
Founded  October  lOth.  lSf5 

JAMES  K  POLK 

President  of  ihe  U.  Stat 

GEO  BANCROFT 

.Sprr«l.iry  of  tUi-   \.tv\ 


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THE  NAVAL  SCHOOL  TABLET 


The  New  Midshipman         59 

cover  napkins,  table-cloths,  crockery,  and 
table-ware  necessary  for  the  midshipman. 
The  monthly  cost  of  table-board  and  laundry 
of  each  midshipman  averages  about  twenty- 
four  dollars,  this  being  charged  to  his  account 
and  indicated  on  the  pass-book.  In  1874 
this  cost  was  about  twenty  dollars,  but  food 
stuffs  are  far  higher  now  than  they  were  then 
and  the  fare  is  far  better.  During  the  first 
year  at  the  Academy  a  midshipman  is  allowed 
and  paid  one  dollar  per  month  for  his  spending 
or  pocket  money.  This  amount  increases 
each  year  imtil  in  his  first-class  year  it  reaches 
three  dollars. 

Outfit  being  drawn,  the  plebe  returns  to 
his  room  and  stows  his  locker  and  closet,  being 
guided  in  this  compHcated  operation  by  the 
minute  directions  contained  in  his  copy  of  the 
Regulations  of  the  U.  S.  Naval  Academy,  the 
"  Blue  Book"  or  the  "  Plebe's  Bible"  as  it  is 
variously  designated.  Several  trips  to  the  store 
to  transfer  the  outfit  to  his  room  will  be  re- 
quired unless  our  new  midshipman  is  fortunate 
enough  to  possess  a  little  small  change  with 


6o    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

which  to  hire  a  corridor  boy  to  help  bring  the 
material  drawn  to  his  room  and  even  to  stow 
his  locker,  this  last  being  of  great  assistance. 
To  make  a  bed  is  sometimes  a  task  that  comes 
hard  to  one;  3^et  ability,  even  in  this  branch, 
pays,  for  it  saves  time  that  can  be  profitably 
devoted  to  study,  as  well  as  prevents  the 
acquisition  of  demerits  with  their  attendant 
privilege  restrictions. 

The  midshipman  now  shifts  into  his  khaki 
coloured  flannel  shirt  and  khaki  trousers,  and 
assumes  the  white  canvas  hat  with  a  blue 
border  around  the  upturned  brim.  This  is 
his  attire  for  the  greater  part  of  the  time 
prior  to  the  beginning  of  the  academic  year 
in  October.  Then  he  proceeds  to  the  contract 
tailor  shop  in  the  basement  and  is  measured 
for  uniforms.  This  little  man  hustles  him 
along  with  the  celerity  of  one  who  has  done 
such  work  for  many,  many  years.  How  in 
the  world  can  clothes  made  on  such  quick 
measurements  ever  fit?  But  the  midshipman 
will  discover  that  they  can  and  will.  The 
master-at-arms   is    visited  and  arrangements 


The  New  Midshipman  6i 

made  either  to  turn  in  to  him  for  safe  keeping 
or  to  send  home  all  civilian  clothes  within 
twenty-four  hours.  These  masters-at-arms 
are  petty  officers,  formerly  of  the  Navy,  but 
of  late  years  generally  civilians,  who  regulate 
the  care  of  Bancroft  Hall,  overseeing  the  work 
of  the  men  who  clean  corridors, — the  corridor 
boys  or  "mokes"  as  they  are  called  in  the 
Academy  parlance, — and  the  various  activi- 
ties of  express  offices,  trunk  and  storage  spaces, 
kitchen,  and  so  on.  They  are  helpful  always 
to  the  new  midshipman,  who  encounters  no 
harsh  words  these  days,  the  rule  of  the  sea  and 
the  men  on  the  sea  having  grown  milder  with 
the  years  even  though  it  be  none  the  less  strict 
and  efficient.  It  is  no  longer  a  requirement 
that  one  should  be  scared  to  death  in  order 
to  acquire  the  habit  of  obeying  promptly. 

The  bugle-caU  for  the  mi  d-d  ay  meal  has 
possibly  interrupted  his  work  before  he  has 
shifted  into  his  uniform,  and  the  first  forma- 
tion with  members  of  his  class  takes  place. 
The  civilian  clothes  or  "cits"  make  him  a 
marked  man ;  he  feels  that  his  awkward  points 


62    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

are  accentuated  thereby.  Formations  for 
meals  and  drills,  in  good  weather,  are  held  in 
the  esplanade  of  the  quarters  facing  the  aca- 
demic group  of  buildings.  Here  the  hot  June 
sun  beating  on  the  buff  vitrified  paving  bricks 
and  cement  blocks  hurts  the  eyes  and  starts 
the  tan.  After  muster  is  over,  and  the  various 
orders  and  details  published,  the  midshipmen 
march  around  the  terrace  to  the  mess  hall. 
This  is  a  big,  bare,  well-lighted  hall  on  the 
ground  level.  Hung  to  the  various  centre 
supporting  columns  are  gilded  footballs,  each 
one  indicating  a  hard  won  victory  over  the 
West  Pointers.  A  Navy  goat,  stuffed,  is  in 
a  glass  case  over  the  doors.  As  this  goat 
was  one  of  the  most  successful  mascots  of  the 
Navy  football  team,  his  memory  is  thus 
perpetuated.  A  goat  is  always  taken  to  the 
West  Point  game,  the  position  of  keeper  of 
the  goat  being  considered  an  honourable  and 
necessary  post,  as  many  attempts  to  steal 
the  said  mascot  have  been  made  by  the 
Army.  Along  the  beams  and  borders  are 
secured  half  models  of  various  vessels  such 


IN'  THE  ROTUNDA  OF  BANCROFT  HALL 


White  Studio 


The  New  jMidshipman  63 

as  the  Constitution,  the  Franklin,  the  Laii- 
caster,  the  Nipsic,  the  Ossipee,  the  Worcester, 
and  some  eighty  others.  Through  the  win- 
dows and  across  Farragut  Field  is  an  attrac- 
tive view  including  the  harbour  of  Annapolis 
with  its  busy  fishing  fleet  and  small  cargo 
schooners,  Chesapeake  Bay  with  the  deep-sea 
traffic  passing,  the  Greenbury  Point  light- 
house, and  Kent  Island  across  the  bay.  Meals 
are  hearty  and  nourishing,  being  served 
quickly  by  the  busy  coloured  waiters,  or  mess- 
hall  boys,  amidst  a  great  clatter  of  dishes  and 
buzz  of  conversation.  Here  the  new  mid- 
shipman will  begin  making  friends  of  the  other 
members  of  his  class. 

After  the  meal  the  plebe  continues  his 
settling.  One  by  one  he  checks  off  on  his 
list  the  work  as  completed.  When  done,  he 
finds  that  he  is  automatically  settled  or 
"  shaken  down, ' '  ready  for  work.  Once  shifted 
into  his  khaki,  and  his  civihan  clothes — "cits " 
— sent  home,  the  midshipman  finds  his  former 
free  life  changed  to  one  of  the  routine  type 
that  the  academic  life  of  necessity  requires. 


64    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

A  midshipman  is  not  permitted  to  possess 
or  to  use  tobacco  in  any  form  until  he  has 
begun  his  fourth  year,  that  is  until  he  has 
become  a  first  classman,  when  the  privilege 
of  smoking  while  in  Recreation  Hall  (popu- 
larly known  as  "Smoke  Hall ")  is  granted  him. 
No  debts  of  any  kind  can  be  contracted  law- 
fully by  a  midshipman,  and  he  must  inform  the 
authorities  as  to  any  debts  contracted  before 
entrance  that  he  is  under  obligation  to  pay. 
Tobacco  is  therefore  turned  in;  and  reports 
in  writing,  one  covering  this  fact,  the  other 
stating  his  status  as  to  debts  and  the  disposi- 
tion of  his  civilian  clothing,  are  then  made 
to  the  Commandant  of  Midshipmen.  These 
reports  are  the  first  written  ones  the  new  mid- 
shipman has  to  make  and  again  with  the  help 
of  the  midshipman  officer  of  the  day  or  the 
regulation  book,  the  task,  after  several  trials, 
is  completed  successfully. 

The  athletic  officer  is  also  waiting  to  ques- 
tion the  plebe  as  to  his  experience  and  abili- 
ties in  the  various  lines  of  athletics,  in  order 
that  he  may  place  him  properly  in  athletic 


The  New  Midshipman  65 

squads  and  athletic  teams.  A  blank  form  is 
filled  out,  and  the  future  athletic  career  of  the 
midshipman  will  be  guided  in  great  measure 
by  it. 

The  marking  of  clothes  with  the  stencils 
furnished  is  usually  a  dirty  job;  and  ink  on 
clothes,  on  the  deck  of  the  room,  and  elsewhere, 
everywhere  and  anywhere  that  it  ought  not 
to  be,  is  the  inevitable  result,  together  with 
the  odour  of  an  ink  in  ones  clothes  that  clings 
for  days  and  unmistakably  pronounces  one  a 
plebe.  He  makes  an  oral  report  to  the  Duty 
Officer  when  he  has  completed  the  stowing  of 
his  locker  and  the  marking  of  his  clothes. 

For  a  companion — or  companions,  as  three 
midshipmen  may  have  to  room  together 
beginning  October,  19 16,  on  account  of  in- 
crease in  numbers — in  his  room  he  may  choose 
whom  he  likes  that  is  available,  or,  in  default 
of  choice,  roommates  are  assigned  by  the 
Executive  Officer  of  Bancroft  Hall. 

The  Executive  Officer  of  Bancroft  Hall  at 
9  A.M.  on  the  day  after  the  plebe  enters,  will 
inspect  the  plebe's  cap  and  mackintosh.     The 


66    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

cap  certainly  will  not  pass  the  scrutiny  of  this 
officer  if  it  be  the  least  bit  small.  The  article 
of  the  regulations  on  hazing  now  must  be 
thoroughly  read,  and  the  new  middy  will 
doubtless  read  many  more  regulations  with 
not  a  Httle  wonderment  as  to  whether  he  can 
ever  keep  from  being  put  on  the  "pap"  or 
report  sheet.  Perhaps  all  the  above  is  com- 
pleted by  evening  roll-call;  in  any  event  it  is 
expected  that  a  substantial  proportion  has 
been,  and  that  the  next  afternoon  the  mid- 
shipman is  completely  ready  to  take  up  the 
routine  of  duties. 

At  10  P.M.,  hearing  taps  on  the  bugle  he 
turns  in,  his  bed  made  none  too  well  unless  he 
has  had  previous  practice,  and  drops  off  to 
sleep  after  the  midshipman  in  charge  of  the 
floor  has  inspected  his  room,  put  out  lights, 
and  made  sure  that  he  has  turned  in  and  is 
quiet.  The  report  of  the  morning  gun,  fol- 
lowed by  the  noise  of  the  bugle  and  drum, 
rouse  him  at  six-thirty  the  next  day,  shortly 
after  which  a  classmate  on  duty  makes  an 
inspection  to  see  that  he  is  up  and  dressing 


m-m 


INFANTRY  DRILL 


ARTILLERY  DRILL 


The  New  Midshipman  67 

for,  if  not,  he  must  be  reported.  Morning 
roll-call  sounds  at  six-fifty.  At  this  formation 
throughout  the  year  is  read  the  conduct 
report,  which  embraces  the  names  of  all  mid- 
shipmen who  have  in  any  way  been  deHn- 
quent  the  preceding  day,  together  with  the 
offence  against  discipUne,  that  they  have 
committed.  Breakfast  follows  immediately 
and,  when  over,  the  midshipman's  room  must 
be  swept  out,  bed  made,  and  book  shelves, 
table,  and  lockers  put  in  perfect  order.  The 
dirt  and  waste  from  the  room  he  sweeps  into 
the  large  corridors,  which  are  cleaned  later 
by  the  corridor  boys. 

The  drill  routine  and  practical  instruction 
during  the  summer  is  arranged  so  as  to  give 
everyone  the  same  amount  of  instruction  in 
subjects  that  will  be  of  the  utmost  value  to 
officers  in  their  service  Hfe.  One  is  thus  kept 
busy  both  mentally  and  physically,  the  latter 
work  being  sufficient  to  bring  aches  to  many 
bones  and  sound  sleep  to  all  at  the  close  of 
the  long  hot  summer  days. 

The  day  is  divided  into  periods  comprising 


68    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

these  hours: — 8  to  9.30  a.m.;  10  to  11.30  a.m.; 
1.30  to  3  P.M.;  3.30  to  4.45  P.M.;  and  8  to 
9  P.M.  Sufficient  time  is  thus  allowed  to  re- 
turn to  quarters  between  each  period  and 
make  any  necessary  shifts  in  uniform. 

The  class  is  divided  into  four  groups  or  bat- 
talions for  administration  and  drill  purposes. 
The  battalions  are  further  subdivided  into 
companies  when  their  size  renders  them  un- 
wieldy. In  order  to  give  the  organization  a 
fair  start,  the  plebes  who  have  had  previous 
military  training  or  who  show  real  aptitude 
for  command  are  chosen  for  acting  company 
and  petty  officers  by  the  various  drill  officers, 
whose  eyes  are  keen  for  assistants  of  a  stand- 
ard that  will  make  the  drill  run  smoothly. 
These  battahon  groups  form  the  unit  for  all 
duties.  One  marches  to  meals,  to  instruction, 
and  to  drills  in  these  groups.  These  bat- 
talion groups  form  the  fourth-class  regiment. 
Shifts  are  made  in  the  assignment  of  acting 
midshipmen  officers  and  petty  officers  as 
one  or  another  shows  himself  worthy  of  pro- 
motion or  of  meriting  reduction.     By  the  end 


The  New  Midshipman  69 

of  September  this  regiment  of  fourth  classmen 
is  exceptionally  well  drilled,  and  its  midship- 
man lieutenant  commander,  "plebe  four  strip- 
er," is  the  best  man  in  the  class  from  the 
military  point  of  view.  To  have  held  this 
position  is  an  honour  the  memory  of  which 
will  always  be  cherished. 

Until  191 6,  the  largest  class  entering  had 
comprised  303  members;  now,  however,  the 
fourth  class  will  contain  approximately  632 
members,  481  having  been  admitted  up  to 
July  8,  1916. 

In  the  case  of  rifle  practice  the  two  fore- 
noon periods  are  combined.  The  Academy 
owns  two  excellent  rifle  ranges,  one  of  six 
hundred  and  the  other  of  one  thousand  yards, 
both  located  across  the  Severn  from  the  Aca- 
demy and  separated  from  each  other  by  Little 
Carr's  Creek  and  by  a  picturesque,  wooded 
ravine  that  is,  in  its  wild  forest  beauty,  the 
place  of  greatest  scenic  attraction  in  the  local- 
ity of  AnnapoHs.  The  midshipmen  going  to 
this  practice  march  from  a  fonnation  and 
muster  held  in  front  of  Bancroft  Hall  to  the 


70    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

Santee's  dock,  the  name  of  this  old  ship  being 
perpetuated  even  though  the  ship  itself  is  but 
a  memory. 

This  vessel,  the  Santee,  had  a  history  almost 
as  long  as  that  of  the  Naval  Academy,  not  as 
a  man-of-war  but  as  a  station  ship  in  the 
Severn ;  so  perhaps  a  short  digression  as  to  her 
career  may  not  be  out  of  place.  She  was  a 
political  ship  built  piece-meal  about  election 
time  in  recurring  years  by  prospective  voters 
who  had  to  be  taken  care  of  by  their  represen- 
tatives in  Congress.  Laid  down  in  1820,  she 
was  launched  in  1855,  and  was  commissioned 
June  8,  1 861,  for  war  service  on  the  Gulf 
blockade.  What  a  record  in  speedy  war  craft 
construction!  This  duty  was  varied  by  one 
trip  to  Vera  Cruz  early  in  the  spring  of  1862. 
Having  proven  an  unsuccessful  ship,  after 
leaving  with  the  blockading  squadron  all 
stores  not  required  to  take  her  to  Boston, 
she  sailed  for  that  port  August  i,  1862,  arriv- 
ing there  the  23d  of  the  same  month,  sailing 
thence  that  October  for  Newport,  became  a 
part   of   the    Naval   Academy    remaining  in 


The  New  Midshipman  71 

Newport  until  the  summer  of  1865,  when, 
together  with  the  school,  she  returned  to 
Annapolis  and  on  August  2,  1865  anchored  off 
Fort  Severn.  For  a  time  she  was  a  gunnery 
ship,  and  then  for  years  housed  the  "plebes" 
during  the  summer — they  thus  learning  ship 
life  at  first  hand — until  the  return  of  the  up- 
per classmen  from  leave  on  September  30th. 
As  a  punishment,  habitual  smokers  and  those 
who  leave  the  Academy  limits  without  author- 
ity, termed  "frenchers,"  were  quartered  on 
the  Santee,  apart  from  the  life  of  their  class- 
mates, to  endure  the  luxurious  comforts  of  a 
hammock  on  a  cold  winter's  night. 

"  Wheyi  in  trouble  and  disgrace 
Who  protects  the  hardened  case  ? 
Who  will,  with  parental  care, 
Shelter,  shield,  and  keep  him  there  7 

The'  Santee' r 

This  use  of  the  Santee  was  discontinued  in 
1905,  the  vessel  being  then  pronounced  un- 
sanitary.    Until  the   arrival   of  the  present 

'  "The  Santee,"  by  C.  S.  Aldcn,  Proceedings  of  Naval 
Institute,  vol.  xxxix.,  p.  778. 


72    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

station  ship,  the  Reina  Mercedes,  on  October 
I,  1 9 12,  offenders  meriting  restriction  to  the 
Santee  were  simply  placed  under  arrest  in 
their  rooms. 

After  fifty  years  of  consecutive  duty  with 
the  Academy  the  Santee  sank  on  April  2,  1912. 
She  was  soon  afterwards  sold  for  her  copper, 
and  left  Annapolis  May  8,  19 13,  to  be  biimed 
at  Boston.  Her  name  only  survives  as  that 
of  the  splendid  concrete  wharf  built  to  replace 
the  old  wooden  one  of  her  time,  which  col- 
lapsed soon  after  the  Santee  sank. 

To  return  to  the  summer  routine.  On  ar- 
rival at  the  range,  the  midshipmen  com- 
mence their  course  of  small  arm  shooting, 
using  the  standard  service  rifle,  pistol,  and 
machine  gun.  They  are  taught  the  use  of  the 
sights,  the  drift  allowances,  effect  of  wind, 
and  the  fine  points  necessary  to  develop  an 
experienced  rifle  shot.  Marking  shots,  shoot- 
ing, cleaning  guns,  and  so  on,  occupy  the  mid- 
shipman's attention,  and  his  period  on  the 
range  is  happy,  free  from  close  restraint,  and, 
as  a  result,  the  time  passes  all  too  quickly. 


The  New  Midshipman  73 

Infantry  drill,  the  making  of  discipline, 
usually  comes  in  the  first  period  so  that  the 
heat  of  the  summer  days  may  be  avoided. 
The  class  is  separated  into  many  squads,  but 
as  soon  as  the  rudiments  of  the  manual,  facings, 
and  marchings  are  acquired,  the  new  mid- 
shipmen are  placed  in  the  main  companies. 

For  swimming  instruction,  the  proficient 
swimmers  are  allowed  the  second  period  on 
certain  days  in  which  to  practice  from  the 
float  and  the  spring  board  across  the  Severn. 
Everyone  before  graduation  must  pass  an 
examination  in  swimming — that  is  a  rigid  re- 
quirement and  failure  to  learn  quickly  means 
instruction  during  recreation  hours.  As  the 
years  go  on,  when  one  has  wider  interests 
and  more  friends,  such  time  is  begrudged;  so 
the  new  middy  had  best  put  forth  all  his 
efforts  and  learn  to  swim.  Swimming  is  also 
taught  in  the  tank  in  the  gymnasium  where 
able  instructors  are  in  attendance,  anxious 
to  make  one  learn  in  spite  of  everything.  In 
the  summer  season,  however,  prior  to  the 
arrival  in  August  of  the  swarms  of  jelly  fish 


74    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

that  then  infest  the  waters  of  the  Chesapeake, 
and  that  are  equalled  in  quantity  only  by 
those  of  the  Gulf  of  Paria,  the  most  pleasure 
is  obtained  in  the  outdoor  swimming  across 
the  Severn. 

Seamanship  is  confined  in  scope  to  hand- 
ling boats  under  oars  and  under  sails.  When 
examinations  in  both  sailing  and  swimming 
have  been  successfully  passed,  permission  can 
be  obtained  to  use,  during  recreation  hours, 
the  knockabouts  and  catboats  that  are  pro- 
vided in  liberal  numbers  for  the  use  of  the 
midshipmen.  A  sail  on  the  Severn  River 
and  Chesapeake  Bay  is  a  most  enjoyable 
pastime  and  one  that  is  always  utilized 
by  those  who  become  competent  small-boat 
skippers. 

The  pulling  cutters  are  double-banked, 
ten-oared  boats,  whose  oars  after  an  hour's 
pull  in  the  sun  seem  like  veritable  trees,  and 
sturdy  oaks  at  that.  There  is  much  to  be 
learned  beside  the  mere  pulling  of  the  boats, 
however,  for  one  must  know  how  to  bring 
the  cutter  alongside  a  dock  or  vessel  and  to 


The  New  Midshipman  75 

handle  it  in  various  situations.  Rules  of 
the  road  must  be  learned  and  applied.  The 
capsizing  of  boats  under  sail  occurs  not  in- 
frequently. Such  capsizings  are  sometimes 
unwitting,  the  result  of  inexperience,  but  in 
other  cases  undoubtedly  premeditated  with 
the  object  of  obtaining  an  unscheduled  swim. 

In  marine  engineering  the  handling  of  the 
steam  launches,  running  the  fires  and  engines, 
is  taught,  together  with  the  operation  of  motor 
boats,  their  faults  and  peculiarities.  Models 
of  engines  and  boilers  are  explained  and 
the  general  idea  of  the  motive  power  of  ves- 
sels is  given  in  a  way  that  is  very  easily 
comprehended. 

Four  afternoons  in  a  week,  in  the  fourth 
period,  gymnasium  instruction  according  to 
the  Swedish  system  is  given.  The  rudiments 
of  wrestling  and  boxing  are  taught.  This 
course  is  of  immense  benefit  to  the  physical 
well-being  of  the  individual. 

The  evening  period — 8  to  9  p.m. — is  devoted 
to  reading,  lectures,  or  entertainment.  On 
Mondays  the  lecture  discusses  the  discipline 


76    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

and  the  regulations  of  the  Academy,  an  ex- 
planation of  the  various  rules  and  the  reasons 
for  their  existence  being  given.  On  Tuesdays 
the  period  is  devoted  to  reading.  Each  mid- 
shipman is  required  to  read  four  hundred  pages 
per  month  in  certain  standard  works  that  are 
prescribed  by  the  Department  of  English. 
For  the  entertainment  of  the  class  on  Wed- 
nesday evenings  moving  pictures  that  include 
one  of  the  films  of  current  events  are  shown  in 
Memorial  Hall,  the  reading-room  of  Bancroft 
Hall.  On  Thursdays  the  lecture  given  under 
the  direction  of  the  English  department 
treats  of  naval  history,  English  literature,  or 
other  timely  topics.  Occasionally  this  period 
is  utilized  by  a  competitive  debate  between 
battalions,  some  naval  problem  being  selected. 
Friday  evenings  are  allotted  to  the  use  of  the 
chaplain  or  the  medical  officer  for  instructive 
and  beneficial  talks  to  the  fourth  classmen. 
Saturday  during  this  evening  hour  the  band 
plays  in  the  auditorium  where,  when  so 
inclined,  the  midshipmen  have  stag  dances 
upon  the  excellent  floor. 


The  New  Midshipman  ^^ 

These  strenuous  days  end  with  the  warning 
call  at  9.55  P.M.,  followed  five  minutes  later 
by  taps  when  all  must  turn  in.  Seldom  will 
any  time  be  lost  by  the  plebe  in  getting  to 
sleep. 

After  the  greater  portion  of  the  class  has 
entered,  and  the  battalions  have  thus  ap- 
proached a  workable  size,  an  athletic  contest 
is  arranged  wherein  all  the  battalions  take 
part ;  the  prize  for  the  winner  being  a  "liberty  " 
on  a  suitable  afternoon  in  September.  These 
contests  begin  about  the  last  week  in  August 
and  comprise : 

Track  and  field  meet,  pulling  cutter  races, 
knockabout  race,  swimming  race,  wrestling, 
boxing,  tennis  matches,  and  baseball. 

These  contests  make  this  week  a  lively  and 
interesting  one,  for  there  is  great  rivalry 
between  the  midshipmen  of  each  battalion 
because  of  their  deep  loyalty  to  the  organiza- 
tion of  which  they  are  a  part.  Points  are 
assigned  for  the  first  three  places  in  each 
contest.  The  battaUon  winning  has  to  work 
not  only  that  week,  but  has  had  to  be  in 


78    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

systematic  training  for  this  contest  the  entire 
summer. 

To  assign  an  efficiency  standing  to  the 
battalions,  competition  takes  place  in  the 
following  branches,  the  prize  again  being  a 
liberty  as  in  the  case  of  the  athletic  contests : 
Infantry,  seamanship,  rifle  shooting,  and  swim- 
ming. The  infantry  consists  of  manual  of 
arms,  company  and  section  movements  both 
in  open  and  close  order.  The  actual  marks 
are  determined  by  competitive  drill,  which 
puts  each  member  of  a  battalion  on  his  mettle 
and  gives  the  acting  midshipmen  officers 
experience  such  as  they  will  not  have  again 
tmtil  they  become  first-class  men.  The  sea- 
manship points  are  determined  by  competition 
in  (a)  cutters  under  oars,  (b)  cutters  under 
sail,  and  {c)  signals,  wigwag,  semaphore,  and 
flags.  The  rifle-shooting  grading  is  given  by 
assigning  points  for  each  qualification  in  the 
courses  as  expert  riflemen,  sharpshooters,  or 
marksmen.  The  swimming  is  figured  by 
crediting  five  points  to  qualified  swimmers 
and  one  point  to  second-class  swimmers. 


OFFICE  OF  OFFICERS  OF   THE  DAY 


While  Studic 
OFFICE  OF  DUTY  OFFICER 


INTERIOR  OF  QUARTERS 


The  New  Midshipman  79 

These  two  competitions  which  include  all 
the  summer's  work  serve  as  a  definite  goal 
for  which  to  strive,  and  provide  the  morale 
required  to  stimulate  interest. 

Wednesdays  after  three  o'clock  and  all  Sat- 
urday afternoons, — such  periods  being  free  of 
drills, — are  devoted  to  baseball  contests  with 
such  outside  teams,  as  can  be  obtained  for 
games.  A  series  of  inter-battaHon  games  is 
usually  contested  as  well.  Light  football  prac- 
tice begins  the  middle  of  July,  this  is  followed 
by  harder  training  the  following  month  and,  in 
the  latter  part  of  September,  upon  the  return 
of  certain  upper  classmen  who  have  belonged 
to  the  Na\'y  football  squads,  regular  training 
and  practice  for  this  sport  is  inaugurated. 
Tennis  is  popular,  the  courts  being  plentiful 
and  excellent.  Through  the  means  of  these 
contests  and  sports  the  athletic  officer  is 
enabled  to  select  the  men  of  the  new  class  for 
Navy  athletics. 

On  Sundays  there  is  compulsory  attend- 
ance at  church;  choir  and  ushers  are  chosen 
from  the  midshipmen  by  means  of  try-outs. 


8o    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

The  first  break  in  the  routine  of  these  daily 
drills  comes  during  the  last  week  in  August 
when  the  practice  squadron  returns  from  its 
summer  cruise,  the  three  grey  battleships 
anchoring  in  the  Roads  some  four  miles  dis- 
tant from  the  Academy,  the  depth  of  water 
in  the  channel  and  the  constricted  size  of 
anchorage  room  available  forcing  this  incon- 
venient procedure.  From  the  battleships  the 
upper  classmen  hasten  ashore,  don  their 
"cits,"  and  depart  on  their  thirty  days'  leave, 
and  in  a  brief  day  the  bustle  and  excitement 
caused  by  their  arrival  and  departure  are  over. 

Unfortunately  a  few  are  always  left  behind, 
quartered  in  Bancroft  Hall.  These  comprise 
those  foimd  deficient  at  the  annual  examina- 
tions, who  have  re-examinations  to  take,  on 
or  about  the  loth  of  September,  and  those 
who,  on  account  of  living  far  in  the  West, 
are  not  able  for  financial  reasons  to  take 
leave,  and  who  enjoy  September  in  Annapolis, 
the  many  advantages  of  the  Academy  being 
at  their  call. 

Beginning  with  the  first  of  September  the 


The  New  Midshipman  8i 

routine  for  the  plebes  is  modified  by  the  sub- 
stitution in  the  second  period  for  the  drills 
of  study  and  recitations  in  French  or  Spanish. 
The  class  is  divided,  one  half  taking  French, 
the  other  half  taking  Spanish.  One  language 
only  is  studied  by  each  group  and  this  study 
is  continued  the  entire  four  years.  The  rifle 
range  practice  is  omitted  this  month.  Mechan- 
ical drawing  occupies  the  third  period,  gym- 
nasium work  taking  the  fourth  period. 

Thus  the  busy  "plebe"  summer  passes 
quickly  away  to  October  the  ist,  when,  all 
too  soon,  the  academic  year  commences  with 
its  studies,  examinations,  and  recitations. 

6 


CHAPTER  IV 


ORGANIZATION 


"  The  true  test  of  a  man's  courage  is  his  power 
to  bear  responsibility." — Earl  St.  Vincent. 

The  Naval  Academy  is  governed  by  an 
officer  of  the  Navy  designated  as  the  Superin- 
tendent. The  educational  part  of  its  life  is 
controlled  by  a  body  of  officers  known  as  the 
Academic  Board  that  comprises  the  Super- 
intendent, who  has  three  votes  in  the  decid- 
ing of  questions  before  the  Board,  and  the 
following  officers  of  the  active  list  of  the  Navy : 
the  Commandant  of  Midshipmen,  who  is 
Head  of  the  Executive  Department,  and  the 
Heads  of  the  Departments  of  Seamanship, 
Ordnance  and  Gunnery,  Navigation,  Marine 
Engineering  and  Naval  Construction,  Mathe- 
matics, Electrical  Engineering  and  Physics, 
82 


Organization 


83 


English,  Modem  Languages,  and  Naval  Hy- 
giene and  Physiology.  Thus,  including  the 
Aid  to  the  Superintendent,  who  acts  as  its 
Secretary,  the  Academic  Board  is  composed 
of  twelve  officers. 

To  carry  out  the  education  both  theoretical 
and  practical  of  the  midshipmen  under  the 
supervision  of  the  foregoing  Board,  there  are 
(191 5- 191 6)  attached  to  the  Academic  Staff 
of  the  Naval  Academy,  one  secretary  and  the 
following  assistants: 


Department 

Line 
Officers 

Staff 
Officers 

Civilians 

Officers 
not 
Instructors 

Executive 

Seamanship 

Ordnance , 

Navigation 

Marine  Eng. 

Mathematics 

Electricity 

English 

Languages 

Hygiene 

8 
5 
5 
9 

17 
3 

12 

4 
2 

I 

I 
2 
2 

I 

7 

6 

I 
9 

ID 

I 
2 

2 

I 

Total 

65 

7 

33 

6 

84    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

In  addition  to  the  staff,  there  are  required 
in  order  to  carry  on  the  work  of  the  school, 
the  two  officers — a  commander  and  a  civil 
engineer — charged  with  the  care  and  main- 
tenance of  buildings  and  grounds;  three  medi- 
cal officers;  two  dental  surgeons;  four  pay 
officers;  one  chaplain;  a  library  force  of  three 
civilians;  and  the  commanding  officer  of  the 
station  ship,  the  Reina  Mercedes.  The  officers 
attached  to  the  Naval  Hospital  (4) ,  the  Reserve 
Torpedo  Division  (i),  the  Engineering  Experi- 
ment Station  (3),  the  Post  Graduate  Depart- 
ment (the  Head,  six  civilian  instructors,  and 
twenty-eight  officers  under  instruction),  and 
the  Marine  Barracks  (2)  form  the  remainder 
of  the  naval  personnel  present  at  the  Naval 
Station  at  Annapolis,  Maryland. 

The  Executive  Department  is  directly  con- 
cerned with  all  the  matters  that  pertain  to 
the  daily  life  of  the  midshipmen  with  the 
exceptions  of  their  class-room  work  and  most 
of  their  practical  education.  It  undertakes 
the  task  of  moulding  the  individual  character 
and  conduct  of  the  future  officers,  and  main- 


Organization  85 

taining  the  discipline  of  the  entire  regiment. 
The  importance  of  this  department,  the  offi- 
cers of  which  are  in  daily  intimate  touch  with 
the  midshipmen,  can  be  readily  appreciated. 
Physical  training,  the  infantry  and  artillery 
drills,  fencing,  all  athletics,  and  the  regulating 
of  recreations  come  under  its  direction.  The 
officers  of  the  executive  branch  by  their 
efforts  and  example  develop  in  the  midship- 
men the  qualities  of  responsibility,  obedi- 
ence, leadership,  command,  zeal,  energy, 
thoroughness,  and  judgment.  In  other  words, 
in  their  intercourse  with  midshipmen,  they 
endeavour  to  represent  the  ideal  naval  officer 
of  whom  John  Paul  Jones  writes  imder  date 
of  September  14, 1775 : 

"  He  should  be  the  soul  of  tact,  patience, 
justice,  firmness,  and  charity.  No  meritorious 
act  of  a  subordinate  should  escape  his  attention 
or  be  left  to  pass  without  its  reward,  if  even  the 
reward  be  only  one  word  of  approval.  Con- 
versely, he  should  not  be  blind  to  a  single  fault 
in  any  subordinate  though,  at  the  same  time, 
he  should  be  quick  to  distinguish  error  from 
malice,  thoughtlessness  from  incompetency,  and 


86    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

well-meant  shortcoming  from  heedless  or  stupid 
blunder.  As  he  should  be  universal  and  im- 
partial in  his  rewards  and  approval  of  merit,  so 
should  he  be  judicial  and  unbending  in  his 
punishment  or  reproof  of  misconduct." 

When  worn  out  in  the  trying  work  that  is 
necessary,  in  their  deaHngs  with  the  large 
number  of  midshipmen,  they  are  cheered  by 
Nelson's  maxim : 

"  Patience  and  perseverance  can  accomplish 
wonders." 

This  task  is  more  intangible  than  is  that  of 
teaching  engineering  and  the  like,  and  hence 
is  the  more  difficult. 

The  student  body  of  midshipmen  is  organ- 
ized in  accordance  with  standard  naval  prin- 
ciples and  customs,  and  is  directly  controlled 
by  the  Executive  Department.  The  regiment 
of  midshipmen  is  composed  of  four  battalions 
of  three  companies  each  and  is  imder  the 
command  of  the  midshipman  commander 
(the  "five  striper").  This  position  is  natu- 
rally the  very  summit  of  the  midshipman's 


Organization  87 

ambition  and  immediately  marks  the  for- 
timate  man  who  fills  it  as  exceptionally 
prominent  both  in  studies  and  in  practical 
everyday  ability;  in  fact,  he  is  usually  the 
recognized  leader  in  the  all-around  quaUties 
that  make  a  man.  On  the  staff  of  the  regi- 
mental commander  are  one  midshipman  lieu- 
tenant and  adjutant,  three  midshipmen  jimior 
lieutenants  for  the  duties  of  the  commissary, 
ordnance,  and  signal  officers,  one  midshipman 
ensign,  as  aid,  and  the  midshipman  regimental 
staff  petty  officer. 

Each  of  the  four  battalions  is  commanded 
by  a  midshipman  lieutenant  commander  ("four 
striper"),  who  has  a  staff  composed  of  a  mid- 
shipman junior  lieutenant  and  adjutant,  two 
midshipmen  ensigns,  one  the  commissary  and 
one  the  ordnance  officer,  and  one  midshipman 
staff  petty  officer.  Three  companies,  in  the 
year  191 5-1 9 16,  formed  a  battalion;  though, 
with  the  increased  number  of  midshipmen 
allowed  by  the  act  of  191 6,  it  is  expected  that, 
in  the  academic  year  1916-1917,  a  battalion 
will  consist  of  four  companies. 


88    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

Each  company  is  under  the  ccmmand  of  a 
midshipman  lieutenant,  or  "three  striper," 
who  is  assisted  in  his  administrative  and  dri[ll 
duties  by  a  midshipman  junior  lientenant,  a 
midshipman  ensign,  and  from  ten  to  tweh-e 
midshipmen  petty  officers.  All  these  officers 
are  taken  from  the  first  class.  The  smallest 
unit  for  administrative  purposes  is  thus  the 
company,  of  which  there  are  twelve.  Each 
company  comprises  midshipmen  of  all  the 
four  classes  distributed  in  numbers  equal  to 
the  membership  of  their  class  di\'ided  by 
twelve,  which  means  that,  in  1915-1916,  from 
fifteen  to  eighteen  members  of  each  class  are 
in  each  company. 

The  positions  of  regimental,  battahon,  and 
company  commanders  are  by  no  means  empty 
honours  and  for  show  only;  on  the  contrary, 
they  carry  much  responsibility  and  the  added 
burden  of  the  extra  work  entailed  by  elevation 
to  leadership.  The  discipline  of  the  Academy 
is  administered  directly  through  them  by  the 
commissioned  personnel  of  the  executive  de- 
partment.    Midshipmen  officers  are  given  a 


H.   M.  MULLIN'IX 

THE    NHDSHIPMAX    CO.M.MAKDER 
I915-I916 


Organization  89 

commission  as  such  signed  by  the  Superin- 
tendent, who  expects  them  to  show  themselves 
worthy  of  the  trust  accorded  by  maintaining 
the  high  standards  of  discipline  and  the  most 
honourable  traditions  of  a  naval  service  that 
has  never  had  an  equal. 

Under  the  supervision  of  the  Duty  Officer 
(a  commissioned  line  officer  of  the  executive 
department  present  for  twenty-four  hours  at  a 
time  in  Bancroft  Hall),  the  routine  of  the  mid- 
shipman's daily  conduct  of  life  is  administered 
efficiently  by  the  daily  "duty  squad,"  which 
is  composed  of  midshipmen.  Members  of 
the  regiment  who  are  to  compose  this  squad 
are  notified  of  the  fact  at  noon  each  day;  and, 
at  7,30  that  evening  w^earing  belts  and  white 
gloves  and  carrying  their  regulation  books, 
they  form  in  the  rotunda  of  Bancroft  Hall 
answering:  "All  ready,  sir,"  to  their  muster 
by  the  off -going  officer  of  the  day,  and  indi- 
cating thereby  that  the  regulations  regarding 
their  duty  are  understood  and  have  been  read 
within  the  preceding  twenty-four  hours.  The 
function  of  the  belt  and  gloves  is  to  indicate 


90    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

clearly  to  their  fellows  that  the  wearer  is  on 
duty  and  must  be  obeyed  in  whatever  orders 
he  may  give.  The  duty  squad  carries  out 
its  work  for  twenty-four  consecutive  hours. 

The  "plebe"  has  scarcely  any  duties  the 
performance  of  which  will  require  time  from 
his  study.  He  is  purposely  left  alone  to  his 
own  self -discipline  in  order  that  he  may  "find 
himself,"  while  unhampered  in  the  efforts  that 
he  must  put  forth  to  remain  a  member  of  the 
regiment.  At  the  end  of  a  year  the  routine 
and  orderly  method  of  living  have  been  ac- 
quired, so  that  he  logically  can  be  required 
to  perform  duties  that  assist  in  carrying  on 
the  work  and  routine  administration  of  the 
regiment. 

The  "youngster,"  or  third  classman  as  a 
second  year  midshipman  is  designated,  is 
placed  on  duty,  which  is  of  two  kinds,  one  that 
is  designed  to  give  him  a  comprehensive  view 
of  the  workings  of  the  organization  without 
being  strictly  responsible  for  any  large  part 
of  it,  and  the  other  giving  him  direct  respon- 
sibility.    The   first   duty,    that   of    assistant 


Organization  91 

officer  of  the  day,  requires  his  presence  in 
the  main  office  of  Bancroft  Hall  practically 
every  minute  of  the  day  except  between  il 
P.M.  and  6.30  A.M.  Here  he  answers  telephone 
calls,  delivers  orders  and  messages  consigned 
to  him  by  his  seniors,  checks  up  absentees 
from  recitations  and  drills  and  accounts  for 
them.  This  is  a  busier  employment  than 
might  be  supposed,  and  it  is  a  tired  midship- 
man that  turns  into  his  hard  bed  that  night 
gome  half  an  Jhour  after  the  regiment  has 
so  done,  and  has  been  accounted  for  by  the 
midshipmen  inspecting  officers.  The  second 
duty  assigned  the  youngster  is  that  of  mid- 
shipman in  charge  of  mail,  its  sorting  and 
distribution,  work  that  requires  responsible 
attention.  Ability  and  responsibiHty  in  this 
detail  are  quickly  apparent  to  the  senior 
officers.  So  many  things  go  -wrong  with  the 
daily  mail  distribution  of  nine  hundred  mid- 
shipmen that  the  two  youngsters  to  be  success- 
ful must  show  some  appreciation  of  their 
responsibilities  as  w^ell  as  applying  much 
common  sense. 


92    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

Another  way  in  which  leadership  is  devel- 
oped and  mention  of  which  has  not  been  pre- 
viously made  is  common  to  all  four  classes. 
This  is  the  placing  of  midshipmen  in  command 
of  sections  for  recitations  and  of  squads  for 
drills,  such  details  being  for  periods  of  a  month 
at  a  time. 

The  second  classman's  duties  consist  of 
being  assistant  to  the  midshipmen  in  charge 
of  the  floors.  These  assistants  under  the 
first  classmen  of  the  floors  are  charged  with 
the  maintenance  of  quiet  during  study  hours, 
the  execution  of  orders,  the  passing  of  various 
words  such  as  uniform  for  drill,  the  directing 
of  a  certain  midshipman  to  report  to  the  re- 
ception room  or  some  other  equally  apparent 
trifle.  Yet  some  perform  this  duty  perfunc- 
torily and  consequently  inefficiently  and  un- 
satisfactorily, while  others  put  their  best  into 
it  and  obtain  the  true  results  that  discipHne 
demands. 

That  duty  is  always  paramount  to  all  else 
is  taught  by  requiring  these  duties  to  be  per- 
formed regardless  of  the  call  of  an  athletic 


Organization  93 

team  or  other  claims.     Reliefs  for  such  reasons 
are  not  permitted. 

The  first  classmen,  aside  from  their  duties 
as  company,  battalion,  or  regimental  officers, 
come  on  duty  in  frequent  rotation  as  officer 
of  the  day,  and  as  midshipmen  in  charge  of 
floors.  The  first  class  midshipmen  in  charge 
of  floors  are  assisted  by  second  classmen,  and 
both  are  charged  with  the  enforcement  of  the 
regulations  and  the  reporting  of  infractions 
of  the  same.  Rooms  are  inspected  often  to 
see  that  all  is  as  it  ought  to  be.  These  mid- 
shipmen must  maintain  quiet  and  prevent 
visiting  during  study  hours.  The  officer  of 
the  day,  designated  by  his  belt  and  white 
gloves,  comes  in  direct  contact  with  the  com- 
missioned officer  who  is  in  charge  of  the  disci- 
pline and  routine  of  Bancroft  Hall  for  the  day, 
and  who  is  able  thus  to  judge  of  a  midshipman's 
ability  very  quickly.  The  midshipmen  officers 
of  the  day  are  called  upon  to  assist  in  a  cour- 
teous manner  the  parents  and  friends  of  mid- 
shipmen, strangers  and  visitors  who  constantly 
apply  to  them  for  information  on  one  subject 


94    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

or  another.  They  superintend  drill  and  sec- 
tion formations,  accounting  for  the  absentees 
therefrom.  One  officer  of  the  day  keeps  the 
rough  log  or  journal  of  the  Academy  for  the 
day,  this  being  copied  into  the  smooth  log 
by  his  relief  and  submitted  to  the  Superin- 
tendent. This  log  contains  the  weather,  the 
drills,  the  visits  of  public  officials,  the  exami- 
nations, dismissals,  resignations,  suspensions, 
restoration  to  duty  of  midshipmen,  athletics, 
and  such  incidents  of  importance.  Writing 
the  smooth  log  occupies  the  quiet  evening 
hours,  while  at  the  same  time  the  other  officer 
of  the  day  collects,  prepares,  and  checks  up 
the  reports  of  infractions  of  the  regulations 
during  the  preceding  twenty-four  hours  and 
gives  these  reports  to  the  midshipmen  in 
charge  of  floors  to  be  written  up  smoothly, 
a  battalion  on  a  sheet.  These  reports  come 
in  from  many  sources  such  as  duty  officers, 
drill  officers,  instructors,  midshipmen  on  duty, 
etc.  The  evening  study  hour  is  pretty  well 
consumed  by  this  writing  of  the  smooth  con- 
duct sheet  from  the  delinquency  sheets  given 


Organization  95 

the  midshipmen  in  charge  of  floors,  by  the 
officer  of  the  day.  These  sheets  are  read  at 
morning  roll-call.  Midshipmen  reported  are 
granted  till  the  next  day  to  submit  statements 
regarding  the  offences  with  which  they  are 
charged  and  these  statements  are  considered 
with  the  report  before  the  punishment  and 
the  demerits  are  imposed  for  the  offence. 

The  ability  that  midshipmen  display  in 
performing  these  duties  varies  remarkably  in 
degree.  Many  just  cannot  do  them  at  first, 
but  they  discover  that  in  this,  as  in  all  things, 
practice  and  training  help  and,  as  time  goes 
on,  they  note  an  improvement.  Experience 
added  to  knowledge  is  the  greatest  teacher  of 
the  seaman  the  world  over. 

The  midshipmen  are  carefully  graded  in 
respect  to  their  proficiency  as  leaders,  by  their 
abiHty  as  displayed  in  the  discharge  of  these 
various  military  duties,  marks  being  assigned 
them  by  the  duty  officer,  as  well  as  by  all 
other  officers  with  whom  they  come  in  contact. 
These  marks  determine  the  efficiency  mul- 
tiple, one  that  affects  their  class  standing  in  a 


96    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

degree  considered  proportionate  to  the  impor- 
tance of  the  subject. 

Thus  it  is  seen  how  the  organization  pro- 
vides for  the  teaching  of  responsibiHty  by- 
entrusting  much  of  the  maintenance  of  disci- 
pline to  the  midshipmen;  and  whether  it^ 
standard  is  to  be  high  or  low  depends  much 
upon  their  esprit  de  corps,  their  viewpoint, 
their  attitude  towards  the  Service  and  towards 
the  officers  stationed  at  the  Naval  Academy. 
These  qualities  are  controlled  more  directly 
by  the  Commandant  of  Midshipmen  and  the 
officers  of  his  department  than  by  any  other 
one  influence  at  the  Academy.  The  task 
placed  upon  the  Executive  Department  of 
imparting  to  the  midshipmen  the  very  best 
viewpoint  and  the  highest  ideals,  while  at  the 
same  time  holding  them  to  the  observance  of 
regulations  rigidly  and  penalizing  infractions 
of  such  regulations,  is  no  simple  one,  but  may 
well  be  considered  as  the  most  difficult  and 
the  most  important  work  at  the  Academy. 

"  Discipline  is  obedience." — Earl  St.  Vincent. 


CHAPTER  V 

ACADEMIC  WORK 

"Scientia  navalis  ventorum  marisgue  dominatrixy^ 

With  the  return  from  leave  of  the  upper 
classmen  on  the  thirtieth  of  September,  a 
new  routine  of  studies  and  recitations  begins 
and  continues  for  eight  months  that  are 
mostly  made  up  of  steady  book  work,  or 
"boning,"  There  was  a  time  in  the  Academy 
when  the  return  of  the  upper  classmen  was 
looked  upon  with  dread  forebodings  of  the 
hazing  and  running  certain  to  be  the  lot  of  the 
"plebe."  At  present  there  is  nothing  to  be 
said  on  the  subject  of  hazing  because  it  does 
not  exist,  being  conspicuous  only  because  of  its 
absence.     Like  the  duello  and  lynching,  haz- 

'  From  a  work  on  Seamanship  published  October  8, 1807. 
7  97 


98    Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

ing  has  completely  gone  out  of  fashion,  and 
it  is  not  likely  to  return. 

The  academic  life  with  its  associations 
becomes  dear  to  the  midshipman  despite  the 
endless  striving  for  standing.  The  feeling 
on  graduation  is  a  mixture  of  sadness  at  leav- 
ing one's  classmates  and  an  overwhelming  joy 
at  being  released  from  the  continuous  jugger- 
naut of  a  routine  and  discipline  that  has  given 
the  midshipman  hardly  space  for  a  quiet 
breath.  As  one  midshipman  expressed  it, 
he  will  then  possess  a  moment  when  he  does 
not  have  to  bone  for  his  life,  for  during  the 
academic  year — which  apparently  consisted 
of  reciting,  a  return  to  quarters,  a  grabbing 
of  a  new  set  of  books  to  study  for  the  next 
recitation,  a  rush  to  that  recitation,  then  a 
hurried  return  to  devour  still  more  books, 
and  so  on  until  taps — not  one  minute  re- 
mained in  which  he  could  act  for  himself. 
The  regularity  of  the  life  palled  on  him  greatly 
and  by  the  end  of  the  fourth  year  this  mid- 
shipman considered  he  had  a  good  excuse  for 
running  stale. 


Academic  Work  99 

Between  reveille  at  6.30  in  the  morning 
and  morning  roll-call  at  6.50,  there  is  little 
leeway  for  rubbing  one's  eyes  or  taking 
forty  winks  even  though  one  be  willing  to 
risk  being  discovered  in  the  act  by  the  mid- 
shipman on  duty.  Bedclothes  must  be 
pulled  back  and  bedding  arranged  to  air 
within  the  first  five  minutes,  four  minutes  is 
allowed  from  the  call  to  morning  roll-call  until 
the  last  blast.  Remarkable  records  are  made 
by  midshipmen  in  dressing.  They  can  turn 
out  in  a  second  floor  room  at  the  bugle  call, 
dress  and  answer  their  name  at  roll-call  in 
season,  that  is  in  the  four  minutes.  As  the 
duty  officer  inspects  the  formation  during 
the  reading  of  the  conduct  report,  many  a 
midshipman  who  has  failed  to  put  on  a  collar 
or  cuff,  is  discovered;  on  the  other  hand, 
many  in  the  same  state  of  disarray  escape 
detection,  due  to  the  large  number  to  be 
inspected  by  one  officer  in  the  very  short 
space  of  time  that  is  occupied  by  the  reading 
of  the  sheet  containing  the  record  of  the 
reports  of  midshipmen  for  violations  of  regu- 


100  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

lations  on  the  previous  day.  Breakfast 
in  the  big  mess  hall  is  the  quietest  meal  of 
the  very  noisy  three,  probably  because  the 
spirits  of  the  midshipmen  are  not  yet  suffi- 
ciently aroused  from  sleep,  or  because  some 
apprehension  as  to  the  success  in  the  day's 
recitations  is  felt.  Prayers  are  said  upon 
the  conclusion  of  the  meal  by  the  chaplain, 
after  which  the  midshipmen  repair  to  their 
rooms  in  quick  time  in  order  to  snatch  a 
last  look  at  the  lessons  of  the  morning;  in 
some  cases,  it  is  sad  but  true,  to  steal  a  smoke 
at  this  convenient  hour  in  the  quarters  or  by 
the  deep  recessed  doors  of  the  gymnasium 
and  armory;  to  complete  their  hasty  toilet; 
and  to  sweep  out  their  rooms,  make  their 
beds  and  tidy  up  their  lockers,  book  shelves, 
and  toilet  articles. 

Two  midshipmen  are  assigned  to  one  room, 
the  roommates  alternating  in  taking  charge 
of  its  policing.  The  one  in  charge  receives 
the  demerits  for  any  untidiness  that  may 
exist  at  any  inspection,  except  that  each  is 
responsible  for  the  make-up  of  his  own  bed. 


MroSHIPMAN  G.   F.   BUNKELL  T.  J.   KELIHER,  JR. 

WEARING  REEFER  MIDSHIPMAN   LIEUTENANT 


White  Studio 
G.   F.   HLSSEY,  JR. 
MIDSHIPMAN  LIEUT.  COMMANDER 


MIDSHIPMAN'S  ROOM 


AT  RECITATION 


White  Studio 


Academic  Work  loi 

Such  derelictions  as  a  chair  adrift,  a  window 
tightly  closed,  a  dirty  wash  basin,  shower 
bath  curtain  not  properly  draped,  shoes  not 
in  place  or  dressed  under  bed,  entail  one 
demerit  each. 

The  requirement  that  one  be  thus  parti- 
cular in  small  things  is  for  purposes  of  disci- 
pline, and  for  the  training  of  the  midshipman's 
observation  in  order  to  develop  it  to  that 
acute  second  nature  sense  so  necessary  to  an 
officer  on  shipboard.  The  sailing  ship  train- 
ing held  in  the  by-gone  days  implanted  this 
sense  of  order  and  alertness  in  one's  mind 
unconsciously  and  made  the  officer  quick 
to  notice  the  slightest  thing  amiss;  but,  with 
the  passing  of  the  sailing  ship  has  come  no 
substitute  save  the  inefficient  one  of  requiring 
the  smallest  details  to  be  observ^ed,  under 
pain  of  conduct  demerits  that,  though  de- 
served, often  fail  to  come  because  the  minute 
daily  inspection  required  in  order  to  observe 
these  things  calls  for  time  on  the  part  of 
ofiP.cers  that  is  not  available. 

The  rooms  in  Bancroft  Hall  are  of  several 


I02  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

types.  The  "plebe"  rooms,  opening  on  the 
bare  central  courtyards,  are  built  with  a 
partition  in  the  centre  running  to  a  vestibule, 
on  one  side  of  which  is  the  shower  bath  and 
on  the  other  the  closet  used  in  common  by 
the  two  plebes.  On  each  side  of  the  parti- 
tion is  a  single  bed,  a  study  table,  chair, 
locker,  and  toilet  stand  and  book  shelf. 
This  arrangement  of  the  room  is  based 
on  the  supposition  that  it  aids  each  new 
midshipman  to  acquire  habits  of  study 
undisturbed.  It  is  questionable  whether  it 
fulfils  any  useful  purpose,  the  architect's  real 
idea  being  that  there  would  be  three  rooms 
always  available  for  two  midshipmen,  one  for 
study,  and  the  others,  like  the  one  just  de- 
scribed, to  be  the  two  bedrooms.  The  num- 
ber of  midshipmen  has  always  been  too  great 
for  the  adoption  of  that  plan.  In  the  fall  of 
191 6  three  or  more  midshipmen  will  have  to 
be  assigned  to  each  room.  In  consequence, 
this  partition,  which  renders  the  room  dark, 
fulfils  no  useful  purpose. 

The  "youngsters"  have  larger  rooms  with 


Academic  Work  103 

one  table  for  the  use  of  two  midshipmen  in 
common,  two  lockers  and  toilet  stands 
(ugly  articles),  closet,  and  a  shower  to  e very- 
two  rooms.  These  rooms  are  generally 
outside,  bright  and  pleasant,  all  with  restful 
views,  some  of  the  harbour  and  bay,  others 
of  the  river,  others  of  the  grounds. 

The  second  class  rooms  are  larger  but  on 
the  same  plan  as  are  those  of  the  youngsters ; 
the  first  class  occupies  rooms  on  the  corners 
with  many  windows,  a  closet  and  a  shower 
being  included.  The  living  quarters  are 
thus  roomy  and  light,  though  always  bare 
and  cold  in  winter.  No  ornamentation  is 
permitted  to  the  end  that  there  may  be  no 
visible  distinction  between  the  sons  of  rich 
or  poor  parents.  Photographs  may  be  ex- 
posed only  in  the  locker  and  upon  a  desig- 
nated shelf. 

Recitations  begin  at  eight  o'clock.  The 
day  is  divided  into  three  periods,  each  com- 
prising an  hour  of  study  and  an  hour  of  reci- 
tation, the  midshipmen  alternating  by  months 
as  to  the  hours  in  which  they  study  or  recite. 


104  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

Classes  are  divided,  for  the  purpose  of 
recitation,  into  sections.  Much  discussion 
as  to  whether  these  sections  should  be  ar- 
ranged alphabetically,  by  lot,  or  by  class 
standing  is  always  under  way.  There  are 
many  arguments  for  and  against  every 
method.  All  have  been  tried  at  the  Naval 
Academy  and  all  have  given  about  the  same 
general  results.  The  principle  in  use  at 
West  Point  whereby  the  brightest  students 
can  delve  a  little  more  deeply  into  subjects 
and  pursue  advanced  studies  is  not  permitted 
at  Annapolis.  At  present  (1916)  the  sections 
are  arranged  by  lot,  a  rearrangement  in 
every  department  taking  place  each  term. 

As  the  future  career  of  a  midshipman  is 
dependent  in  no  small  measure,  as  is  just, 
upon  scholarship,  it  is  essential  that  all  be 
carefully  marked  and  graded.  To  this  end 
it  is  necessary  that  a  mark  be  assigned  as 
often  as  possible  to  each  midshipman.  This 
renders  instruction  by  lectures  less  feasible 
than  in  the  universities  of  the  country. 
Constant  drill  at  many  things,  notably  the 


Academic  Work  105 

use  of  logarithms,  is  so  essential  that  it  re- 
quires daily  effort  on  the  part  of  the  student 
and  the  assigning  of  a  mark  by  the  in- 
structor. 

Marking,  as  was  adopted  by  Commander 
Buchanan,  is  on  the  scale  of  4,  the  daily 
marks  being  carried  out  to  tenths,  and  the 
examination  and  term  marks  to  hundredths. 
Students  who  attain  an  average  for  a  year 
of  more  than  3.40  wear  gold  stars  behind  the 
gold  anchors  on  their  collars.  This  custom 
stimulates  a  greater  zeal  for  and  closer  atten- 
tion to  study.  The  possession  of  a  star  on 
the  collar  distingmshes  the  wearer  as  a  man 
of  brains,  application,  and  earnestness.  Upon 
graduation  an  average  for  the  whole  course 
of  over  3.40  means  that  the  diploma  reads 
"with  distinction,"  an  average  between  3.00 
and  3.40  obtains  the  notation  "passed  with 
credit,"  while  from  2.50  to  3.00  reads  simply 
"passed."  To  be  satisfactory  for  a  term  or 
year  requires  a  mark  of  at  least  2.50.  This 
average  is  secured  by  the  great  majority  of 
midshipmen  and  thus  appears  not  difficult 


io6  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

of  attainment  by  a  studious  boy  of  moderate 
mental  ability. 

The  academic  year  1915-1916,  which 
began  on  October  i,  191 5,  found  918  mid- 
shipmen in  attendance.  On  April  18,  191 6, 
there  remained  797  midshipmen  divided  as 
follows:  first  class,  178;  second  class,  189; 
third  class,  210;  and  fourth  class,  220.  Thus 
some  121  midshipmen  had  dropped  out  dur- 
ing the  first  six  months  of  the  year.  The 
dropping  of  only  eighty-two  of  this  number 
can  be  attributed  to  failure  to  attain  the 
scholastic  requirement  of  2.50.  The  re- 
maining thirty-nine  had  severed  their  con- 
nection for  other  reasons,  such  as  dismissal 
for  bad  conduct,  physical  disability,  or  volun- 
tary resignations  due  to  personal  reasons. 

The  sections  consist  of  between  twelve  and 
fifteen  midshipmen,  the  large  number  being 
caused  by  the  insufficiency  in  the  numbers 
of  officers  and  civilian  instructors  on  duty. 
The  usual  method  of  reciting  is  to  give  each 
midshipman  a  subject  which  he  writes  or 
works  up  on   the  blackboard,  or  on  a  pad 


Academic  Work  107 

at  his  chair,  and  the  instructor  then  hears 
him  orally  read  and  explain  what  he  has 
written  and  assigns  a  mark  according  to  its 
value.  The  marks  are  entered  each  day  in 
a  little  red-covered  book.  Of  course  the 
student  naturally  likes  to  ascertain  his  mark, 
so  an  occasional  glance  towards  the  book  in 
an  endeavour  to  note  its  contents  may  be 
attempted.  One  professor  who  happened 
to  see  a  midshipman  glancing  into  his  mark 
book  from  a  short  distance,  quickly  said; 
"No  use,  Mr.  Doe,  your  mark  is  too  small 
to  be  seen  from  such  a  distance." 

The  first  part  of  the  hour  is  usually  occu- 
pied with  explanations  by  the  instructor, 
and,  when  intelHgent  questions  are  asked, 
the  time  may  be  extended.  As  there  are  on 
an  average  not  over  three  recitations  a  week 
for  each  subject,  it  can  be  readily  under- 
stood that  each  midshipman  should  receive 
a  mark  every  recitation  period  at  which  he 
is  present,  for  the  duty  in  Bancroft  Hall 
requires  the  presence  of  ten  first  classmen 
daily,  and,  if  the  midshipman  be  indisposed 


io8  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

another  day,  or  a  lecture  should  occupy  the 
third  day,  no  mark  is  received  for  the  week. 
Additional  absences  are  caused  by  the  physi- 
cal examinations  and  other  routine  duties. 
Lessons  are  assigned  that  require  concentra- 
tion upon  them  during  the  study  period 
available,  and  lucky  is  the  man  who  early 
forms  a  correct  habit  of  study.  The  fourth 
class  year  finds  the  greater  number  falling 
out  because  of  failure  in  studies,  this  being 
due  partly  to  the  fact  that  the  habits  of  study 
are  as  yet  unformed,  and  partly  to  insufficient 
grounding  in  the  subjects  required  for 
entrance. 

The  first  period  is  from  8  to  10.04  A.M., 
the  second  from  10.14  A.M.  to  12.14  p.m., 
and  the  third  from  1.20  to  3.20  p.m.  The 
change  and  air  obtained  in  the  march  to  and 
from  recitations  to  the  music  of  the  midship- 
men's bugle  and  drum  corps  is  a  welcome 
one.  During  the  second  period  comes  the 
inspection  of  rooms  by  the  officers  in  charge 
of  the  battalions.  The  inspection  is  for 
neatness  and  is  made  quickly  and  thoroughly, 


Academic  Work  109 

the  locker  doors  being  opened  so  as  to  unfold 
to  view  the  ability  of  the  midshipman  in 
stowing  his  many  articles  in  a  space  much  too 
small  for  them. 

The  noon  rest  is  but  an  hour,  and  part  of 
that  is  taken  up  in  the  formation  and  march 
to  the  mess  hall  at  12.30  p.m.,  where  luncheon 
is  served.  It  is  a  misdemeanour  to  take 
books  to  the  meals;  so  even  if  the  midship- 
man feels  he  just  must  study,  he  cannot  do  so 
and  will  have  to  content  himself  with  verbal 
inquiries  of  his  messmates  unless  he  is  willing 
to  risk  the  demerits  that  will  surely  follow 
the  detection  of  a  book  at  mess. 

The  first  two  years  are  occupied  chiefly 
with  the  obtaining  and  the  standardizing 
of  the  necessary  general  education  required; 
the  plebe  who  has  already  covered  the  scope 
of  his  first  year  and  used  the  text-books  of 
the  course  is  fortunate,  and  such  a  one  will 
find  life  much  easier.  This  general  educa- 
tion is  very  necessary  and  that  an  officer 
should  be  able  to  use  good  English  has  been 
best  expressed  by  John  Paul  Jones,  the  fourth 


no  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

classman  being  required  to  paste  in  the  front 
of  his  English  note-book  this  sentence  of  his : 

"  None  other  than  a  gentleman,  as  well  as  a 
seaman  both  in  theory  and  practice,  is  qualified 
to  support  the  character  of  a  commissioned 
officer  in  the  Navy;  nor  is  any  man  fit  to  com- 
mand a  ship  of  war  who  is  not  also  capable  of 
communicating  his  ideas  on  paper  in  language 
that  becomes  his  rank."  (John  Paul  Jones, 
letter  to  the  Marine  Board,  1777.) 


The  English  Department  further  models 
its  course  with  a  view  to  forming  military 
character  by  developing  the  personality  and 
individuality  of  the  midshipman  distinctly 
along  the  lines  of  what  is  known  as  the 
humanities  that  can  be  taught  by  the  studies 
of  history  and  literature.  The  books  read 
are  chosen  for  the  effect  they  will  have  upon 
the  mind  and  character;  as  a  result  such 
books  as  biographies  of  Nelson  and  Farragut, 
Carlyle's  Heroes  and  Hero  Worship  are  found 
in  use  at  the  Academy. 

Summaries  of  the  four  years'  work  are 


Academic  Work  iii 

given  in  Appendix  I,  as  a  guide  to  the  pre- 
paration desired  in  the  years  prior  to  en- 
trance and  as  an  indication  of  the  amount 
and  variety  of  work  that  must  be  done 
in  order  to  pass  each  year  and  finally  to 
graduate. 

After  the  third  recitation  and  study  period 
comes  one  of  drill,  after  which  from  5  to 
6.30  P.M.  there  is  a  time  of  freedom  for  the 
midshipman  when  he  can,  and  usually  does, 
devote  himself  to  athletics,  the  choir,  the 
preparation  of  the  Academy  paper,  the  mat- 
ters in  connection  with  graduation  and 
academic  dances,  the  class  book,  and  the 
various  other  activities  connected  with  the 
Academy.  The  non-swimmers  and  imper- 
fectly developed  men  are  required  to  use 
some  of  these  periods  for  instruction  and 
physical  exercise. 

Dinner  comes  at  6.30  p.m.,  it  being  the 
noisiest  as  well  as  the  heaviest  meal  of  the 
day,  for  no  one  is  dreading  a  recitation  with 
an  ill-prepared  lesson  and  the  whole  evening 
is  available  for  study. 


112  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

At  7.30  P.M.  the  study  call  is  sounded  by  the 
bugler,  whereupon  all  must  repair  promptly 
to  their  rooms,  keep  quiet  and  bone  until 
at  9.30  with  the  evening  gun  fire  comes  the 
release  from  rooms.  From  then  until  9.55 
P.M.,  tattoo,  the  midshipmen  may  use  the 
time  for  skylarking,  seeing  their  classrriates, 
reading  the  papers  and  magazines,  or  getting 
help  from  men  more  "savey"  (bright)  than 
they. 

The  total  number  of  hours  per  week  occu- 
pied by  recitations  are  sixteen,  those  avail- 
able for  study  are  twenty-eight,  and  those 
used  in  practical  instruction  and  drills  are 
six  and  one-sixth  hours.  While,  on  account 
of  the  clerical  work  involved,  midshipmen 
do  not  see  their  daily  marks,  they  are  notified 
if  their  work  is  not  satisfactorily  done  by 
the  posting  on  the  bulletin  boards  on  each 
Saturday  morning,  of  the  names  of  all  who 
have  been  deficient  during  the  week  together 
with  the  mark  for  the  week  they  have  been 
awarded.     This  list  is  known  as  the  "tree." 

A  midshipman  may  not  turn  in  until  9 


Academic  Work  113 

P.M.,  no  matter  how  sleepy  he  may  be. 
Should  he  do  so  and  his  room  happen  to  be 
visited  by  the  midshipman  in  charge  of  the 
floor  or  the  duty  ojSicer,  a  report  regarding 
his  conduct  will  result,  and  five  demerits 
will  be  assigned  him.  When  tattoo  is 
sounded  each  makes  a  rush  for  his  own  room, 
and  by  the  end  of  the  bugle  call  of  taps  all 
are  turned  in,  save  only  a  few  who  are  behind 
in  their  studies  and  who  have  been  granted 
authority  to  study  one  half-hour  longer. 
Upon  turning  in,  Hghts  are  left  burning  in 
the  rooms.  These  are  turned  off  by  the 
inspecting  midshipman  officer  after  he  has 
satisfied  himself  as  to  the  presence  of  the 
midshipmen. 

Class  standing  is  affected  in  some  measure 
by  conduct.  This  is  as  it  should  be,  for 
experience  always  proves  that  the  one  who 
lives  right  and  obeys  the  law  is  the  one  to 
whom  in  after  years  a  captain  of  a  battleship 
on  the  high  sea  will  be  able  to  entrust  with 
confidence  the  deck  on  a  dark  winter  night 
in  heavy  seas  or  thick  fogs,  and  that  he  is 


114  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

also  the  one  who  will  have  a  good  turret  and 
division  on  that  same  battleship.  Loyalty 
to  your  country  and  your  seniors  is  the 
whole  thing,  to  express  it  but  mildly,  in  any 
unit  of  organization  from  a  squad  to  a  fleet, 
and  this  necessary  attribute  of  character 
is  first  indicated  by  the  midshipman's  will- 
ingness to  obey  the  rules  of  civilization  and 
right  living  that  have  been  laid  down  in  the 
regulations  of  the  Naval  Academy. 

The  men  who  do  behave  properly  naturally 
are  entitled  to  something  more  than  the 
intentional  wrongdoers,  the  careless,  or  the 
shiftless.  Conduct  grades  are  therefore 
established  each  month.  For  the  several 
conduct  grades  the  following  number  of 
demerits  must  not  be  exceeded  any  month: 

First  Second 

Grade  Grade 

Second  class 8  13 

Third  class lO  16 

Fourth  class 12  20 

The  third  conduct  grade  comprises  those 
having  more  demerits  than  are  allowed  for 


Academic  Work  115 

the  second  grade.  The  first  classmen  are 
not  placed  on  conduct  grades  or  made  sub- 
ject to  any  ordinary  restrictions  as  to  privi- 
leges due  to  demerits.  It  is  only  when, 
because  of  serious  and  extraordinary  offences, 
they  are  quartered  and  messed  on  the  U.  S.  S. 
Reina  Mercedes,  which  vessel  has  taken  the 
place  of  the  old  Santee,  that  they  suffer  any 
deprivation  due  to  misconduct. 

The  craving  for  tobacco  is  responsible  for 
many  demerits,  its  use  being  forbidden  to 
all  save  midshipmen  of  the  first  class.  Re- 
striction to  the  Reina  Mercedes  is  a  usual 
consequence  of  the  use  of  tobacco,  and  this 
change  of  quarters,  from  Bancroft  Hall  to 
the  berth  deck  of  this  former  Spanish  cruiser 
of  Santiago  memory,  lasts  from  two  weeks  for 
a  first  offence  to  three  months  for  the  third 
offence.  Further  offences  result  in  a  recom- 
mendation for  dismissal  as  an  incorrigible. 
Any  midshipman  who  cannot  discipline  him 
self  in  this  small  matter  naturally  cannot, 
with  reason,  be  expected  to  amount  to  much 
in  the  service  later  on,  and  the  country  is 


ii6  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

amply  justified  in  not  wasting  any  more 
money  and  the  time  of  instructors  upon  his 
further  education.  One  who  cannot  obey 
cannot  lead. 

Demerits  over  twelve  for  the  month  in 
the  case  of  the  fourth  classmen,  entail  extra 
duty  on  Saturday  afternoons  during  the 
following  month.  A  group  of  khaki-clad 
plebes  carrying  rifles  and  gloomily  pacing  the 
terrace  of  Bancroft  Hall  is  thus  a  familiar 
sight  every  Saturday  afternoon.  This  extra 
duty  lasts  but  an  hour,  yet  spoils  part  of  the 
baseball,  football,  or  other  athletic  contests 
for  the  offenders.  The  desire  to  be  exempted 
from  this  useless  occupation  and  to  escape 
deprivation  of  part  of  the  one  short  holiday 
the  week  affords  is  an  incentive  towards 
avoiding  demerits. 

The  liberty  privileges  vary  with  the  years 
until  finally  the  first  classman  is  practically 
as  free  to  come  and  go  within  the  city  limits 
as  is  any  officer  stationed  at  the  Naval 
Academy. 

Demerits  are  assigned  as  a  record  of  mis- 


V'"  zf/'ssT-'misKimti^M^mi^^K^  ,'mi 


MESS  FORMATION 


THE  EXTRA  DUTY  SQUAD 


Academic  Work  117 

conduct.  The  number  received  by  a  mid- 
shipman, together  with  the  seriousness  of  the 
ofifence  committed,  is  a  real  indication  of  his 
character,  his  trustworthiness,  his  attention 
to  duty,  and  is  thus,  in  the  final  analysis, 
a  true  measure  of  his  fitness  for  the  Naval 
Service.  The  longer  a  midshipman  has 
been  at  the  Naval  Academy,  the  less  excuse 
there  is  for  him  to  get  demerits.  A  few 
offences  follow  as  an  indication  of  the  assign- 
ment of  demerits: — absence  from  morning 
roll-call,  ten  demerits ;  absence  from  academic 
limits,  fifty  demerits;  articles  adrift,  three 
demerits;  playing  cards  or  games  of  chance, 
net  twenty-five  demerits;  ordinary  neglect 
of  duty,  ten;  receiving  money  or  supplies 
without  permission,  fifteen;  profanity,  fifty; 
inattention  to  recitation  or  drill,  five ;  irrev- 
erent conduct  at  divine  service,  fifty;  not 
properly  shaved,  three;  disorderly  conduct, 
ten  to  five;  out  of  uniform,  three;  whistling 
during  study  hours,  five;  whistHng  in  Ban- 
croft Hall  not  during  study  hours,  one.  On 
board   ship   the   boatswain's   shrill    pipe   or 


ii8  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

whistle  is  the  signal  that  calls  attention  to 
an  order  or  word  about  to  be  passed;  hence 
a  sailor  desires  that  the  whistle  be  reserved 
for  this  purpose  alone.  Therefore  the  midship- 
men are  forbidden  to  whistle  and  are  ordered 
to  secure  the  tune  to  the  main  bitts  with  a 
hitch  other  than  a  slippery  hitch. 

Deficiency  in  conduct  is  considered  to 
have  been  shown  when  a  midshipman  shall 
have  received  for  the  half-year  two-thirds 
of,  or  for  the  whole  year  the  following  niunber 
of  demerits: 

First  class 150 

Second  class 200 

Third  class 250 

Fourth  class 300 

A  continuous  record  of  demerits  is  kept 
the  whole  year,  and  at  the  end  there  is  de- 
ducted from  the  final  multiple  attained  by 
a  midshipman  for  a  year  a  certain  amount  for 
each  demerit  received,  which  amount  is: 

First  class I 

Second  class 05 

Third  class 02 

Fourth  class 005 


Academic  Work  119 

No  demerits  received  by  the  fourth  class 
prior  to  October  1st,  are  counted,  in  order  to 
grant  the  members  of  that  class  the  entire 
summer  in  which  to  accustom  themselves 
to  the  discipline,  the  new  mode  of  living, 
and  to  "shake  down,"  or  find  themselves  as 
a  part  of  the  future  Navy  of  the  United 
States. 

A  glance  at  the  merit  roll  of  some  first 
classmen  shows  that  from  a  multiple  of  320, 
the  greatest  amount  taken  off  for  misconduct 
was  14.20,  the  least  was  o.io,  the  average 
approximately  3.00,  and  that  those  with 
subtractions  greater  than  15  usually  failed 
of  a  commission.  It  also  shows  that  failures 
in  conduct  are  the  portion  of  the  least  worthy 
members,  a  result  which  is  to  be  expected, 
and  a  proof  that  proper  living  is  as  essential  to 
the  Naval  Academy  as  to  other  walks  of  life. 

The  midshipman  must  thus  both  by  his 
work  in  studies  and  work  in  his  discipline 
prove  to  the  authorities  that  he  is  worthy  of 
his  uniform  and  of  the  generous  treatment 
accorded  him  by  the  government, 


120  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

"Every  man  gets  his  chance,"  is  an  old 
saying,  but  one  that  is  peculiarly  true  to 
every  member  of  the  regiment  of  midshipmen. 

"So  here  is  the  rule — I  command  it: 
Nor  Teuton  nor  Saxon  be  ye, 
But  all  who  abide  in  this  household 
The  sons  of  this  Fatherland  be. 
For,  here  is  but  one  lord  and  master^ 
One  country,  one  flag,  and  one  name^ 
And  they  shall  be  alien  and  hated 
Who  fail  of  its  weal  or  its  fame.'' 

OUSLEY. 


CHAPTER  VI 

EXAMINATIONS 

"Engage  the  enemy  more  closely.^* — Nelson's 
signal  at  Trafalgar. 

The  procedure  ordered  by  this  signal  of 
England's  favourite  naval  hero  is  put  into 
practice  by  the  midshipmen  when  dealing 
with  their  great  enemy,  the  examinations. 
For  the  midshipman  and  for  the  officer  or 
instructor  as  well,  the  examinations  come 
all  too  frequently,  but  in  the  case  of  the 
former  they  help  mark  the  flight  of  time  and 
render  the  day  of  graduation  appreciably 
nearer. 

The  academic  year  is  divided  into  two 
terms,  each  consisting  of  four  months,  the 
first  three  of  which  are  devoted  to  advance 
work.     Examinations   take   place    in    every 

121 


122  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy- 
subject  at  the  end  of  each  month  of  advance 
work,  and  also  at  the  end  of  the  fourth  or 
review  month  of  each  term,  this  time  in  the 
shape  of  the  semi-annual  and  annual  examina- 
tions. Portions  of  the  examinations  in 
French  and  Spanish  are  conducted  orally,  but 
all  the  other  examinations  are  written.  The 
time  allowed  for  the  monthly  examinations 
is  one  hour  and  fifty  minutes,  while  that  for 
the  semi-annual  and  annual  is  four  hours 
and  forty  minutes  divided  into  two  periods, 
each  of  two  hours  and  twenty  minutes,  a 
welcome  recess  of  twenty  minutes  being  al- 
lowed between  periods.  A  fourth  classman 
has  four  subjects  to  study,  the  third  classman 
has  five,  the  second  classman  has  five,  and 
the  first  classman  six,  and  each  class  has 
the  corresponding  number  of  monthly  and 
half-yearly  examinations. 

A  review  for  an  examination  in  one  subject 
while  progress  is  still  being  maintained  in 
the  other  three  to  five  subjects  is  a  difficult 
task,  but  one  that  is  performed  well  nearly 
always,  judging  by  results.     In  order  that 


Examinations  123 

the  tests  shall  be  fair  both  as  to  time  and  as 
to  subject  matter,  they  are  worked  by  in- 
structors, on  time  and  in  the  same  manner 
as  they  would  be  by  midshipmen,  and  are 
then  altered  until  they  are  of  the  correct 
length  and  composed  of  proper  questions, 
that  is,  questions  that  should  be  easily  an- 
swered by  midshipmen  who  have  paid  atten- 
tion to  and  understood  the  subjects  as  they 
went  over  them  the  first  time. 

Facing  the  entrance  to  Bancroft  Hall  is  a 
wooden  bust  of  an  Indian  mounted  on  a 
brick  pedestal.  This  bust  was  once  the 
figurehead  of  the  ship  of  the  line  Delaware^ 
having  been  placed  upon  that  vessel  in  1821. 
The  bust  represents  Tamanend,  the  cele- 
brated ancient  chief  of  the  Delaware  Indians, 
who  died  before  the  white  men  ever  came  to 
this  country,  and  who  was  regarded  by  the 
Indians  as  one  who  never  had  an  equal. 
The  midshipmen,  however,  universally  call 
this  bust  "Tecumseh,  the  god  of  2.5." 
This  is  one  of  the  few  reminders  of  early 
academic   days  that    still,  remain  in    view. 


124  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

As  2.5  is  the  lowest  satisfactory  mark  it  is 
a  not  uncommon  sight  to  see  a  class,  as  it 
marches  down  "Devil's  Highway"  (the 
proper  name  being  Stribling  Walk)  to 
"Satan's  Palace"  (as  the  Academic  Building 
is  known)  on  the  way  to  examinations,  salute 
this  wooden  bust  gravely  when  passing  in 
order  to  invoke  its  aid  in  obtaining  good 
marks  in  the  examination. 

Upon  reaching  the  place  of  the  test  the 
midshipman  will  take  out  his  watch,  unbut- 
ton his  collar  and  blouse,  settle  himself 
comfortably,  then  pick  up  the  paper  of  ques- 
tions and  read  it  over  in  order  that  he  may 
see  at  once  what  he  can  and  what  he  cannot 
do,  feel  joyful  or  sad  as  the  case  may  be, 
and  tackle  first  the  questions  he  understands 
the  best.  An  instructor  is  present  in  the 
room  to  answer  questions,  and  make  the 
meaning  clear  in  the  places  where  doubt 
arises.  Although  placed  close  together  and 
under  no  watchful  eye,  seldom  or  never  does 
there  occur  a  case  of  gouging  or  cheating. 
The  midshipman  body  will  not  tolerate  such 


AT  EXAMINATION'S 


ISHERWOOD  HALL 

THE   HOME   OF   THE   DEPARTMENT   OF  MARINE    ENGINEERING    AND  NAVAL    CONSTRUCTION.    AND 

THE   POST-GR.\Dl,ATE  DEPARTMENT.       SECTIONS   LEAVING    RECITATION    FORilING 

FOR    THE   RETURN   .NL\RCH   TO   B.\NCROFT   HALL 


Examinations  125 

practice,  and  as  a  result,  it  is  not  indulged 
in,  notwithstanding  the  great  temptation  in 
many  cases  so  to  do  and  the  ease  with  which 
it  might  be  done.  Every  midshipman  who 
has  recited  during  a  month  in  any  subject 
must  take  the  examination  in  that  branch; 
none  are  exempt  because  of  high  standing. 
The  exammations  give  an  indication  of  the 
extent  to  which  the  midshipman  has  absorbed 
the  subject,  as  well  as  of  the  efficiency  of  the 
instruction  given.  This  method  has  stood 
the  test  of  time,  and  all  other  methods  tried 
have  failed  to  bring  as  good  results. 

At  the  completion  of  the  second  month 
in  each  term  a  list  is  posted  of  the  midship- 
men who,  for  the  two  months,  have  attained 
in  any  subject,  a  final  mark  of  less  than  2.50, 
with  the  subject  and  the  mark  attained. 
The  list  posted  at  the  beginning  of  December 
has  received  the  name  of  the  "Christmas 
tree";  that  posted  early  in  April  is  known  as 
the  "Maypole." 

Studies  are  of  two  kinds — those  continuous 
for  a  year  and  those  completed  each  term. 


126  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

A  midshipman  failing  at  the  end  of  the  nrst 
term  to  obtain  a  2.5  in  a  continuous  subject 
may  be  permitted  to  pursue  that  subject  and 
eventually  make  up  the  deficiency.  Such  a 
failure  in  a  completed  study  necessitates 
another  examination  in  which  he  must  obtain 
2.50  if  he  is  to  retain  his  status  in  his  class. 
The  month  and  term  marks  have  much 
greater  weight  than  have  the  examinations 
in  determining  the  final  merit  for  the  month 
or  term.  The  present  system  as  regards  the 
weights  assigned  examinations  relatively  to 
recitation  room  work  and  in  requiring  all  to 
take  the  tests  is  the  oldest,  the  most  often 
tried,  and  has  proven  the  best.  Many  at- 
tempts to  modify  the  system  have  been 
made,  but  on  trial  all  have  proven  failures, 
a  return  being  necessitated  to  the  present 
one,  which  appears  the  fairest  toward  all  and 
gives  the  proper  emphasis  to  recitation  and 
examination  work.  Many  midshipmen  make 
a  poor  showing  at  recitations,  due  largely 
to  diffidence,  but  succeed  in  telling  on  paper 
what  they  have  absorbed  of  the  work.     The 


Examinations  127 

examination  appears  to  strike  about  the  right 
average  and  to  keep  those  men  at  the 
top  who  deserve  to  be  there.  The  method  of 
reaching  a  mark  for  a  month  is  to  multiply 
the  average  of  the  recitations  by  two,  add  to 
this  the  mark  made  on  the  examination,  and 
divide  the  sum  by  three;  the  result  is  the 
midshipman's  mark  for  the  month.  To  de- 
termine the  final  for  a  term,  the  mean  of  the 
monthly  marks  is  multiplied  by  three  and  to 
this  is  added  the  examination  mark,  the 
sum  being  divided  by  four,  the  quotient 
being  the  midshipman's  final  for  the  term. 
To  the  term  mark  is  applied  a  coefficient, 
the  product  giving  the  multiple  for  that 
subject,  and  the  sum  of  the  multiples  gives 
the  figure  by  which  the  midshipman's  stand- 
ing for  the  year  is  determined.  This  system 
of  coefficients  was  adopted  in  February, 
1846,  four  months  after  the  Naval  Academy 
was  founded,  and  its  siu-vival  to  the  present 
date  speaks  well  for  the  sagacity  of  Com- 
mander Buchanan,  its  originator.  Conduct 
enters  into  the  multiple  by  the   deduction 


128  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

of  a  figure  as  explained  in  the  preceding  chap- 
ter. Out  of  this  final  possible  maxima  of  eight 
hundred  the  midshipman  who  graduated  at 
the  head  of  his  class  in  June,  19 15,  had  at- 
tained a  figure  of  711.90,  and  the  first  eighty- 
one  in  the  same  class  secured  over  six  hundred. 
That  class  represented  an  average  result. 

The  cases  of  all  midshipmen  who  fail  to 
attain  the  final  2.50  for  a  term  are  considered 
and  gone  over  in  detail  by  the  Academic 
Board  at  its  frequent  meetings  held  in  the 
administration  building.  Every  circum- 
stance that  might  have  operated  to  the 
midshipman's  disadvantage,  such  as  absence 
due  to  sickness  or  injury,  together  with  the 
nature  of  the  illness  or  hurt,  is  ascertained 
and  carefully  weighed  before  a  decision  is 
made.  A  careless  and  shiftless  midshipman 
will  not  be  deemed  as  worthy  of  leniency  as 
one  who  has  tried  hard,  and  who  thus  shows 
he  possesses  one  of  the  essential  character- 
istics of  an  officer.  Slightly  unsatisfactory 
averages  at  the  semi-annual  examination, 
in  but  one  or  two  subjects  when  those  sub- 


Examinations 


129 


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130  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

jects  are  continuous,  will  usually  not  result 
in  a  discontinuance  of  the  delinquent's  con- 
nection with  the  course,  the  hope  being 
that  the  deficiency  will  be  made  up  by  the 
work  of  the  remaining  months  of  the  year. 
A  failure  at  the  semi-annual  in  completed 
studies  necessitates  a  semi-annual  re-exami- 
nation in  the  second  week  in  May.  A  failure 
in  the  annuals  requires  a  re-examination  in 
the  second  week  of  September,  if  the  mid- 
shipman who  has  failed  is  so  fortunate  as  to 
be  adjudged  worthy  of  another  trial  to  deter- 
mine whether  or  not  he  will  be  continued  with 
his  class.  Some  who  fail  are  turned  back 
into  the  next  lower  class,  providing  alwa3^s 
that  even  when  so  reduced  they  will  upon 
graduation  be  not  more  than  twenty-four 
years  of  age.  Thus  there  is  no  way  for  the 
midshipman  to  avoid  examinations ;  they  must 
be  squarely  met.  An  absence  in  the  hospital 
only  means  a  short  postponement  of  the  ordeal. 
In  order  that  the  academic  routine  may  be 
more  easily  understood  a  typical  calendar 
follows : 


Examinations 


131 


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132  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

One  widely  spread  bit  of  misleading  infor- 
mation was  printed  recently  by  many  of  the 
best  newspapers  of  the  country  to  the  effect 
that  a  midshipman  had  been  dropped  because 
of  failure  in  but  one  subject,  mechanical 
drawing.  That  designation  of  this  study  is 
misleading  because  it  does  not  mean  drawing 
alone,  but  the  important  mathematical  sub- 
ject of  descriptive  geometry  as  well;  the 
midshipmen  must  pass  in  this  branch.  Even 
without  the  mathematics,  the  mechanical 
drawing  is  very  necessary  to  the  officers  in 
after  years  and  too  much  insistence  is  not 
placed  upon  it  at  the  Academy. 

Examination  papers  are  marked  carefully 
by  the  instructors;  if  a  mark  below  a  2.50 
should  result,  the  paper  receiving  such  a 
mark  is  read  by  another  officer,  and  the  mark 
he  gives  must  not  differ  over  .2  from  that 
assigned  by  the  officer  who  first  marked  the 
paper.  A  greater  difference  requires  a  third 
reading,  by  the  Head  of  the  Department,  and 
a  reconciling  of  the  disagreement.  If  there 
were  sufficient  officers  on  duty,  all  papers 


Examinations  133 

probably  would  be  read  twice,  as  was  done 
in  former  years  when  the  number  of  midship- 
men was  much  less  than  at  present.  The 
result  of  this  careful  system  is  the  safe- 
guarding of  the  midshipman's  interest  in 
every  way. 

The  standard  required  is  not  hard  to 
obtain,  and  the  failure  to  pass  is  generally 
the  fault  of  something  that  it  is  in  the  power 
of  the  midshipman  to  avoid.  He  is  helped 
along  in  spite  of  himself.  When  he  fails 
to  attain  the  moderate  2.5  out  of  the  possible 
4.0  it  is  time  for  him  to  drop  out  and  let 
another  boy  have  his  try.  The  Navy  needs 
the  best  boys  in  the  country,  and  should 
have  them.  There  are  plenty  who,  if  al- 
lowed the  opportunity  to  replace  the  ones 
who  fall  out,  can  and  will  make  more  nearly 
the  3.0.  The  2.5  officer  type,  that  is,  one 
who  does  not  put  forth  his  best  efforts  at 
the  Academy,  is  not  needed  in  the  Navy,  for 
he  is  likely  to  continue  to  give  the  service 
only  a  little  of  his  power,  never  his  maximum 
effort.     Rather  than  make  officers  of  boys 


134  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

who  will  not  work  to  attain  a  high  percentage, 
the  Navy  can  better  take  hard  workers  such 
as  the  hardy  Gloucester  fishermen  and  edu- 
cate them.  The  Navy  needs  officers  but  it 
has  no  use  for  idlers,  and  the  boy  who  can- 
not, or  will  not,  try  to  pass  the  moderate 
mental  requirements  of  the  Academy  can 
well  be  spared  from  the  Navy's  personnel. 
It  is  the  endeavour  of  the  course  at  the 
Academy  not  to  teach  a  naval  officer  all  he 
should  know,  for  that  is  manifestly  impos- 
sible of  accomplishment  in  the  four  years, 
but  the  groundwork  is  given  and  the  mid- 
shipman has  learned  how  to  concentrate, 
what  to  study,  and  how  to  express  his 
thoughts  in  speech  and  writing.  As  Doctor 
Johnson  expressed  it: 

"Knowledge  is  of  two  kinds:  we  know  a 
subject  ourselves,  or  we  know  where  we  can 
find  information  upon  it."  The  wide  range 
of  subjects  covered  by  the  midshipman  in 
such  short  spaces  of  time  equip  him  quite 
largely  with  knowledge  of  this  second  type. 
In  later  years  he  is  then  able  to  become  an 


Examinations  135 

expert  in  whatever  branch  of  his  profession 
he  may  be  doing  duty.  Examinations  help 
the  midshipman  to  become  self-reHant,  to 
think  for  himself,  and  to  aspire  only  to  a 
place  he  can  earn  by  conscientious  work  of 
his  own.  It  is  no  doubt  true  that  much 
memory  work  is  required  of  a  midshipman, 
but  it  is  not  possible  to  have  it  otherwise 
when  the  time  permitted  and  the  ground 
that  must  be  covered  during  the  midship- 
man's life  at  the  Academy  are  considered. 


CHAPTER  VII 

PRACTICAL  INSTRUCTION  AND   DRILLS 

"The  tools  to  him  that  can  handle  them.''* 

Carlyle. 

In  order  to  understand  how  to  care  for  and 
to  operate  mechanisms  it  is  necessary  that 
they  should  be  disassembled  and  examined. 
This  process  cannot,  for  obvious  reasons,  be 
taught  on  shipboard,  and  hence  the  real 
practical  instruction  in  machinery  must  come 
at  the  Academy.  Much  of  such  instruction, 
especially  in  the  purely  professional  branches, 
is  imparted  by  means  of  drills  which  supple- 
ment the  purely  academic  recitations.  It 
is  becoming  more  evident  as  time  goes  on 
that  an  increasing  amount  of  this  sort  of 
instruction  is  necessary,  with  the  result  that 

recitation  time  is  now  gradually  being  en- 
136 


Practical  Instruction  and  Drills  137 

croached  upon  more  and  more  to  make  up  for 
the  lack  of  drill  periods.  This  is  especially 
true  in  the  departments  of  Marine  Engineer- 
ing and  Naval  Construction,  of  Electrical 
Engineering  and  Physics,  and  of  Ordnance 
and  Gunnery.  Sections  in  their  recitation 
periods  are  diverted  and  given  practical  in- 
struction at  the  models  and  machinery. 

The  English  Department  similarly  found 
it  advisable  to  extend  its  course,  the  inclusion 
of  after-dinner  speaking  being  deemed  a 
desirable  accompHshment.  In  the  effort  to 
teach  this  art  once  a  week  a  special  dinner 
is  served  in  the  recreation  hall  of  Bancroft 
Hall,  the  first-class  smoking-room,  for  the 
first-class  men,  one  company  at  a  time,  and 
each  midshipman  at  its  conclusion  is  required 
to  rise  and  make  a  short  speech.  Thus  the 
course  in  English  is  continued  into  the  last 
year,  by  encroaching  upon  the  already  scant 
time  for  recreation.  This  feature  does  a 
great  deal  of  good  and  the  midshipman 
accepts  the  instruction  in  the  spirit  in  which 
it  is  given. 


138  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

Half  the  recitation  periods  allotted  to 
certain  branches  of  the  subject  of  Marine 
Engineering  are  utilized  in  practical  instruc- 
tion with  the  models  and  appliances  of  its 
well-equipped  plant.  Engines,  boilers,  pumps, 
ice  machines,  measurements  of  power,  tests, 
explosion  engines,  oil  engines,  ship-building 
models  are  available  and  utilized.  In  Ord- 
nance and  Gunnery  each  midshipman  actually 
measures  the  velocity  of  a  pistol  bullet, 
operates  a  range  finder,  a  torpedo  director, 
and  is  made  to  understand  a  turret  mount, 
firing  circuits,  and  the  intricate  machinery 
of  the  service  torpedoes  and  launching 
tubes  and  mines.  All  these  are  fully  ex- 
plained to  the  midshipmen  and  they  actually 
handle  all  these  instruments  during  the 
recitation  periods.  It  is  true  this  method  of 
instruction  borders  upon  the  lecture  system, 
also  that  actual  lectures  do  come  quite  often, 
despite  the  necessity  for  marks,  previously 
pointed  out,  in  order  to  grade  the  mid- 
shipmen. 

The  recitation  periods  last  until  3.20  p.m., 


White  Studio 


FIVE-INCH  LOADING   DRILL 


White  Studio 


FIRE  CONTROL  DRILL 


Practical  Instruction  and  Drills  139 

after  which  hour  there  is  another  period  of 
instruction  known  as  the  drill  period;  a  mis- 
nomer because  it  is  associated,  in  the  minds 
of  the  majority,  with  nothing  but  artillery 
or  infantry  manoeuvres,  whereas  it  consists 
of  essentially  practical  instruction.  The  mid- 
shipman must  at  the  end  of  his  last  recita- 
tion hour  shift  into  the  proper  uniform  for 
whatever  drill  he  is  to  attend.  On  Mondays, 
Tuesdays,  Thursdays,  and  Fridays  the  time 
of  the  drill  period  is  from  3.40  to  4.50  P.M.; 
on  Saturdays  from  10.20  A.M.,  to  12.10  p.m. 
There  is  very  little  infantry  and  artillery 
drill  held  because  of  the  great  variety  of 
work  a  seaman  is  called  upon  to  do  at  the 
present  time.  All  drills  are  held  with  a 
distinct  object  in  view;  there  is  no  need  of 
killing  time  because  there  is  none  available 
to  be  wasted  in  such  a  fashion.  Owing  to 
weather  conditions  the  drills  are  divided  into 
the  outdoor  drills  that  take  place  in  October, 
November,  April,  and  May,  and  the  indoor 
drills  of  the  months  of  December,  January, 
February,  and  March. 


140  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

Visiting  educators  have  without  exception 
pronounced  the  electrical  laboratory  of  the 
Naval  Academy  to  be  without  an  equal  in 
any  one  institution  of  learning  in  this  country. 
In  view  of  this  fact  a  rather  detailed  outline 
of  the  practical  instruction  in  that  depart- 
ment will  be  given  even  at  the  great  risk  of 
making  some  decidedly  dull  reading.  The 
course  of  experiments  Is  progressive  and  is 
laid  out  so  as  to  Illustrate  the  principles 
covered  in  recitations. 

Each  experiment  is  described  on  a  card 
or  in  a  pamphlet  given  to  the  midshipmen. 
The  apparatus  to  be  used,  the  object  of  the 
experiment,  and  the  method  to  be  followed 
are  clearly  stated.  For  example.  In  electro- 
statics are  taken  up: — How  electricity  is 
produced,  the  kinds  of  electricity  and  their 
action;  by  the  use  of  static  machines  elec- 
tricity is  produced  and  its  action  shown ;  next 
come  conductors  and  their  use.  Including 
lightning  conductors,  experiments  with  vol- 
taic cells,  then  the  magnetic  properties  of 
currents,  followed  by  measurements  of  re- 


Practical  Instruction  and  Drills  141 

sistance,  Wheatstone  bridge,  slide  wire  bridge, 
all  of  which  are  taught  in  corresponding 
detail.  A  study  of  types  of  windings  of 
generators  and  motors  from  diagrams,  and 
by  winding  dummy  armatures  is  now  given. 
The  efificiencies  of  generators  and  motors  are 
determined  by  measurements  and  calcula- 
tions, as  are  various  losses  that  reduce  the 
efficiencies,  such  as  the  mechanical  losses, 
stray  loss,  copper  loss.  The  midshipman 
will  next  determine  regulation,  the  character- 
istics of  different  types  of  machines,  and  show 
the  types  of  motors  and  generators  that 
produce  the  best  results  under  given  condi- 
tions of  load  and  speed  regulation ;  determine 
the  best  type  of  motors  to  use  with  constant 
speed,  variable  speed,  constant  load,  variable 
load,  other  conditions  of  load;  the  different 
types  of  control  and  safety  apparatus  and 
the  uses  to  which  they  are  adapted;  the 
methods  of  distribution;  the  method  of  ob- 
taining a  neutral  for  a  three- wire  direct  current 
system  by  means  of  slip  rings  and  a  reactance 
with  the  distribution  of  three-wire  to  com- 


142  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

bined  motor  and  lamp  load,  which  method 
is  being  used  upon  the  later  battleships;  the 
method  by  which  fractures  and  short  cir- 
cuits in  an  armature  or  a  field  winding  may 
be  located;  the  measurement  of  the  copper 
resistance  of  generator  windings  and  how  to 
determine  the  soundness  of  the  insulation 
by  resistance  measurements;  connecting  and 
putting  in  condition  to  deliver  power  a  motor 
generator  set,  telephone  calling  and  talking 
service,  measiirements  of  the  temperature 
rise  of  the  various  parts  of  a  direct  current 
motor  or  a  generator  by  resistance  measure- 
ments and  by  thermometer.  All  these  are 
taken  up  in  practical  detail. 

Instruction  in  radio  includes  the  actual 
setting  up  of  and  operating  radio  sets.  Dur- 
ing the  study  of  the  subject  the  various 
appliances  are  shown  the  midshipmen.  In 
the  fleet  there  is  need  of  radio  officers  al- 
ways and  thus  a  great  deal  of  attention  is 
focussed  upon  the  subject.  In  order  to  make 
operators  of  the  midshipmen,  a  radio  message 
is  sent  by  a  telegraph  key  that  works  a  buzzer 


Practical  Instruction  and  Drills  143 

in  each  section  room  of  every  class  and  at 
every  recitation,  and  all  midshipmen  are 
required  to  read  and  take  down  the  message. 
The  press  news  is  intercepted  and  taken 
each  night  in  the  radio  station  by  four  first 
classmen  who  come  for  this  duty  voluntarily. 
Then  at  9.30  p.m.,  these  midshipmen  send 
out  this  press  news  by  blinker,  that  is,  flash 
signals  of  an  electric  lantern,  which  signal 
can  be  read  by  any  midshipman  who  may  so 
desire. 

There  are  also  assigned  to  this  Department 
a  part  of  the  winter  drill  periods,  covering 
the  interval  from  December  to  March  when 
the  drills  must  be  held  indoors.  During  these 
periods  the  work  is  concerned  rather  more 
with  the  practical  applications  of  electricity 
than  with  the  working  out  of  experiments 
to  illustrate  the  theory  of  the  apparatus. 
Thus  faults  are  introduced  into  various 
systems,  and  the  midshipmen  are  required  to 
test  for,  locate,  and  correct  them.  Grounds, 
short  circuits,  and  blown  fuses  are  introduced 
into  the  various  lighting,  power,  and   tele- 


144  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

phone  circuits;  short  circuits  in  a  motive 
armature,  broken  connections  in  a  field 
winding; — in  short  all  the  defects  that  are 
likely  to  confront  the  practical  electrician. 
Their  discovery  and  correction  by  use  of  the 
proper  instruments  and  methods  are  then 
left  to  the  midshipmen.  The  practical  opera- 
tion of  generators  and  motors,  starting, 
stopping,  and  connecting  them  in  various 
ways  to  produce  required  results  are  made 
part  of  the  drills.  Also  the  difficulties  that 
are  likely  to  occur  in  their  practical  operation 
are  introduced  and  must  be  overcome. 

These  are  intended  to  bring  home  the 
right  and  the  wrong  way  of  doing  things  as 
well  as  to  teach  a  quick  recognition  of  what 
is  the  trouble  and  the  cause  of  it.  If  a  gen- 
erator refuses  to  generate,  a  circuit  breaker 
flies  open,  a  fuse  blows,  or  a  motor  stops,  a 
telephone  goes  dead,  the  midshipman  must 
find  the  defect  and  correct  it.  Some  startling 
incidents  occasionally  occur  while  midship- 
men are  thus  working,  but  safety  devices 
are  used  everywhere,  and  no  damage  results, 


TORPEDO  INSTRUCTION' 


While  Sludio 


SPOTTING  DRILL 


Vfhite  Sludio 


Practical  Instruction  and  Drills  145 

while  the  incident  serves  to  impress  upon  the 
experimenters  a  method  to  be  avoided. 

A  part  of  the  time  devoted  to  practical 
work  and  drills  is  used  for  radio  work.  The 
theory  is  illustrated  by  experiments  involv- 
ing the  use  of  various  parts  of  the  sets,  appa- 
ratus, and  connections;  the  drills  require  the 
practical  connecting  up,  tuning,  sending,  and 
receiving  messages. 

The  marine  engineer  must  now  master 
seven  distinctly  different  types  of  propelling 
machinery,  which  are:  Reciprocating  steam 
engines,  Parsons  direct  drive  turbine,  Curtis 
direct  drive  turbine,  electric  propulsion, 
turbines  with  mechanical  reduction  gear, 
Diesel  engines,  gasoline  engines.  The  mid- 
shipman must  know  all  these  as  well  as  a 
little  about  producer  gas  plants,  hydrauHc 
reduction  gear  and  possible  combinations  of 
all  types.  Much  of  this  instruction  is  given 
during  drills  and  much  by  practical  recita- 
tions during  the  recitation  period  as  in  the 
case  of  the  electrical  instruction. 

The  drills  consist  of  practical  instruction 


146  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

in.  the  use  of  tools,  the  operation  of  machines, 
and  the  application  of  mechanical  processes 
generally.  This  instruction,  supplementing 
as  it  does  the  academic  course,  continues 
throughout  the  four  winter  months  of  each 
year  and  is  comprehensive  enough  to  give 
each  midshipman  practical  knowledge  of 
repair  and  construction  work.  Not  only  is 
he  taught  to  handle  machinery  but  also  to 
keep  it  in  serviceable  condition.  A  battle- 
ship is  an  intricate  assemblage  of  mechanical 
appliances  requiring  most  intelligent  care  and 
upon  each  unit  the  ship  depends  in  order 
to  maintain  at  its  maximum  her  military 
efficiency.  The  naval  officer  is  charged  with 
the  upkeep  of  this  powerful  and  extensive 
plant  and  is  held  responsible  for  its  successful 
operation.  How  powerful  a  plant  this  is 
can  be  imagined  when  one  realizes  that  the 
indicated  horse  power  of  our  proposed  new 
battle  cruisers  must  approximate  one  hundred 
and  seventy-five  thousand.  The  naval  officer 
is  repeatedly  confronted  with  problems  pecu- 
liar to  naval  practice  and  the  requirements 


Practical  Instruction  and  Drills  147 

that  the  engineer  and  machinist  elsewhere 
cannot  solve;  emergency  repairs  constantly 
arise  which  he  is  called  upon  to  direct;  cast- 
ings must  be  made,  parts  must  be  manu- 
factured, and  these  with  the  limited  facilities 
at  hand. 

Upon  his  entrance  in  the  summer,  the  new 
fourth  classman  is  given  elementary  instruc- 
tion in  tools  and  machines.  He  begins  to 
know  a  pump,  a  boiler,  and  an  engine,  and 
before  the  summer  is  over,  he  can  run  a  launch 
engine.  He  is  shown  also  how  to  hold  his 
drawing  instruments  and  to  use  them  so  that 
upon  the  beginning  of  the  academic  year  he 
is  ready  to  take  up  the  drawing  of  machine 
parts. 

The  following  year  as  a  third  classman  he 
works  at  the  test  bench  and  learns  the  value 
of  filing  and  scraping.  In  the  pattern  shop 
he  makes  the  patterns  which  he  afterwards 
casts  in  the  foundry.  In  the  forge  shop  he 
is  instructed  in  iron  working,  and  in  the  labo- 
ratories he  observes  engines  and  auxiliaries 
operating  under  service  conditions. 


148  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

During  the  second-class  year  he  is  at  the 
lathes  in  the  machine  shop,  and  works  with 
the  coppersmith  and  boilermaker,  brazing 
joints,  expanding  tubes,  repairing  and  fitting 
up  boilers.  He  takes  up  this  year  also  the 
study  of  gas  and  oil  engines,  which  are  every- 
where replacing  steam  engines  in  power  boats. 

The  work  in  his  first-class  year  is  applied 
to  the  use  of  large  power  tools ;  tests  of  inter- 
nal combustion,  reciprocating  and  turbine 
engines;  analysis  of  flue  gases;  water  tests, 
effects  of  corrosion,  calibration  of  shafts; 
and  the  study  of  the  details  of  ship  construc- 
tion from  models. 

Every  effort  is  advanced  to  make  this 
engineering  course  progressive  in  character. 
So  extensively  is  the  field  covered  that  every 
moment  is  occupied  in  a  way  to  produce 
maximum  efficiency  based  on  the  experience 
of  years.  For  many  years  in  order  to  thor- 
oughly master  the  machine  shopwork,  the 
second  class  spent  the  summer  at  Annapolis 
instead  of  on  the  practice  cruise.  In  the 
summer  of  1894  this  schedule  was  interrupted 


Practical  Instruction  and  Drills  149 

by  the  sending  to  sea  in  the  Bancroft,  of  the 
second  classmen  in  July,  and  since  then  the 
summer  of  machine  work  has  never  been 
restored.  The  inadequacy,  due  to  lack  of 
time,  of  the  present  instruction  is  being  felt 
by  the  graduate,  and  postgraduates  are 
now  to  be  given  a  thorough  course  in  the 
handling  of  all  shop  tools  and  machinery. 
Each  professional  department  is  thus  utiliz- 
ing to  the  utmost  the  splendid  plant  of  the 
Academy,  and  giving  the  midshipmen  a  won- 
derful insight  into  the  mysteries  of  modern 
machinery.  There  is  so  much  to  be  learnt 
in  the  four  years  that  it  is  not  strange  that 
some  two  or  more  years  will  be  required  after 
graduation  before  the  real  ability  in  the  use 
of  this  information  is  developed.  During 
the  four  years  there  are  but  442  recitations 
in  Marine  Engineering,  340  in  Electrical 
Engineering,  and  153  in  Ordnance  work,  all 
being  supplemented  by  the  practical  work  on 
shipboard  during  the  three  summer  cruises 
that  the  midshipmen  take  unless  sickness 
or  other  causes  prevent  their  so  doing. 


150  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

The  Seamanship  Department  drill  begins 
with  the  first  summer  and  continues  through- 
out the  four  years.  The  plebe  has  much 
cutter  drill,  both  pulling  and  sailing,  the 
Severn  forming  a  drill  zone  that  is  seldom 
too  rough  to  be  used;  and  when  the  indoor 
season  arrives  he  is  occupied  with  instruc- 
tion in  knotting  and  splicing,  in  signalling 
with  the  semaphore  and  flags,  the  nomen- 
clature of  boats,  the  compass,  the  log,  and  all 
types  of  lead  lines  and  other  sounding  appa- 
ratus. Similar  drill  work  is  carried  on 
through  the  third-class  year  in  a  more  ad- 
vanced way,  with  the  addition  of  wire  splicing 
and  sailmaking.  The  second  classmen  take 
out  the  ship  steam  launches,  of  which  there 
is  a  fleet  at  the  Academy,  steamers  as  they 
are  now  called,  acting  as  engineers  and  signal- 
men, also  in  the  pulling  cutters  as  signalmen, 
and  as  assistants  and  understudies  to  the 
coxswains.  The  midshipman  of  the  second 
class  also  learns  the  handling  of  small  boats 
under  sail  in  the  many  knockabouts,  catboats, 
and   cutters  that  are  available.     His  work 


STEAM  TACTI'^-S 


ARGO"  UNDER  SAIL.     CUTTERS  UXDER  OARS 


Practical  Instruction  and  Drills  151 

in  the  indoor  drill  season  becomes  that  of 
learning  signals,  the  use  of  the  appliances  on 
ship's  bridge,  how  to  write  up  and  keep  the 
log,  the  general  navy  nomenclature,  and  the 
details  of  the  logs  and  leads.  In  his  drill 
under  this  department,  the  first  classman, 
as  he  is  so  soon  to  become  an  officer,  is  given 
the  officer's  part  to  perform  as  much  as 
possible.  In  the  steamers,  he  is  the  cox- 
swain, and  in  charge,  handles  the  signal  book 
and  works  his  steamer  in  fleet  manoeuvres 
to  signals.  In  the  cutters  and  half-raters 
he  is  in  charge,  handHng  both  oars  and  sails. 
Two  torpedo  boats  and  the  tug  Staiidisk  are 
attached  to  the  Academy  for  drill  purposes 
and  the  first  classmen  observe  and  practise 
how  to  come  alongside  and  leave  docks,  to 
pick  up  moorings,  to  put  in  use  the  rules  of 
the  road,  to  steer,  to  give  proper  orders  to 
rudder  and  engines.  Then  the  Robert  Center 
and  the  Argo,  a  sailing  cutter  and  yawl  re- 
spectively, give  them  opportunity  for  gaining 
experience  in  handling  larger  saiHng  vessels. 
A  sad  moment  for  first  and  second  classmen 


152  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

alike  it  is  when,  picking  up  their  moorings 
in  a  steamer,  the  engines  stop,  get  on  centre, 
and  the  boat  does  the  inevitable,  rams  the 
dock  hard  enough  to  throw  all  hands  down, 
causes  damage  to  the  boat,  and  a  fall  in 
the  midshipman's  efficiency  mark.  The  drill 
in  knockabouts  and  catboats  is  materially 
lengthened  at  times  by  lubberly  work  in 
picking  up  moorings  under  sail.  No  help- 
ing hand  is  extended  to  one  in  trouble,  the 
midshipman  must  get  there  by  himself. 

The  "plebe"  finds  that  he  must  learn 
among  the  many  new  things  the  art  of  danc- 
ing, to  the  teaching  of  which  there  are  devoted 
sixteen  drill  periods  in  the  winter  months, 
these  being  supplemented  by  extra  lessons 
during  recreation  hours  should  he  desire  to 
avail  himself  of  them.  The  drills  are  held 
in  the  Trophy  Hall,  the  plebes  of  three  com- 
panies attending  at  the  same  time.  Gym- 
nasium work,  seamanship,  and  infantry  drills 
are  assigned  the  same  number  of  periods 
during  this  winter  period.  The  plebe  thus 
does  not  have  quite  the  variety  in   drills 


Practical  Instruction  and  Drills  153 

that  falls  to  his  portion  subsequently.  The 
fourth  classmen  have  more  infantry  and 
artillery  drills  than  do  the  other  classes  dur- 
ing the  winter  months,  in  order  that  they 
may  become  used  to  military  discipline  and 
their  bearing  be  improved. 

Infantry  and  artillery  drills  are  still  re- 
quired in  the  training  of  midshipmen  as  the 
battalions  of  seamen  first  land  and  occupy 
towns  or  fortresses,  holding  them  until,  re- 
lieved by  the  arrival  of  the  marines,  they  are 
enabled  to  re-embark  on  their  ships.  Such 
drills  are  under  the  charge  of  the  Executive 
Department  and  comprise  packing  the  knap- 
sack for  landing  force,  outpost,  advance  and 
rear  guard  work,  guard  mount,  etc.,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  regulation  infantry  and  artillery 
tactics.  But  twenty-eight  periods  the  entire 
year  are  allotted  for  such  drills.  Dress 
parades  take  place  only  during  the  week  of 
the  annual  examinations  and  of  graduation. 

The  regiment  as  a  whole  also  parades  as 
infantry  at  special  functions,  such  as  the 
inauguration  of  the  President  of  the  United 


154  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

States,  and  the  unveiling  of  monuments  such 
as  the  one  to  John  Paul  Jones. 

In  the  spring  days  the  midshipmen  of  the 
first  class  are  seen  at  different  points  in  the 
yard  using  the  theodolite  and  plane  table 
and  measuring  base  lines,  as  an  application 
of  the  surveying  instruction  that  has  been 
given  during  the  class-room  work.  Others 
are  "shooting  the  sun,"  using  the  artificial 
horizon  in  order  to  determine  true  azimuths, 
latitude,  and  chronometer  corrections.  In- 
side work  with  the  navigation  course  includes 
the  compass  corrections  and  the  magnetic 
instruments,  together  with  much  practical 
work  on  charts,  this  work  continuing  with 
the  recitations  throughout  the  year. 

The  youngster  begins  his  Ordnance  in- 
struction with  drills.  There  are  fifteen  such 
periods  during  this  year.  The  major  por- 
tion of  these,  all  except  three  in  fact,  are 
devoted  to  small- arm  shooting  on  the  range 
where  he  continues  the  course  which  he  began 
during  his  first  summer  at  the  Naval  Acad- 
emy, and  has  continued  by  four  periods  his 


Practical  Instruction  and  Drills  155 

plebe  year.  The  effort  is  made  to  qualify 
all  midshipmen  as  sharpshooters  and  expert 
riflemen  in  addition  to  making  them  compe- 
tent to  handle  the  automatic  pistol,  the 
service  rifle,  and  the  automatic  or  machine 
gun.  The  length  of  time  is  hardly  sufficient, 
however,  for  the  mastery  of  these  arms. 

The  gun  drills  are  held  first  at  the  six-inch 
loading  machines  where  accuracy  first,  and 
rapidity  second,  in  loading,  are  taught.  The 
midshipmen  crews  work  down  to  about  ten 
complete  loads  in  39.5  seconds,  which  is 
exceptionally  fast  time.  Then,  after  becom- 
ing expert  with  loading  machine,  they  are 
exercised  at  the  actual  loading  of  the  5^-5 1 
gun.  The  second  class  review  the  loading 
drill  with  casualties  and  safety  requirements, 
and  in  addition  they  are  given  dotter  and 
boresighting  practice  together  with  sufficient 
sightsetting.  The  boresighting  taught  is  the 
most  modem  method,  it  being  hoped  that 
the  older  sights  in  service  will  gradually  be 
replaced  by  the  later  ones,  and  there  is  no 
time  to  teach  more  than  principles.     Just 


156  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

prior  to  the  end  of  his  second-class  year  the 
midshipman  is  given  a  week  that  comprises 
two  days  of  spotting,  one  of  fire  control  in- 
stallation instruction,  and  two  of  plotting  in 
order  that  he  may  have  a  good  general  idea 
of  what  comprises  the  installation  for  govern- 
ing the  battery  before  becoming  a  first  class- 
man upon  his  summer  practice  cruise.  At 
the  Academy  during  first-class  year  these 
fire  control  drills  take  the  major  part  of  the 
time  allotted  to  ordnance,  although  there 
are  four  days  devoted  to  torpedo  practice 
and  one  day  to  handling  mines.  A  little 
torpedo  boat,  the  Biddle,  of  175  tons  dis- 
placement, takes  the  midshipmen  into  the 
bay  where  they  adjust  and  fire  a  torpedo, 
man  a  boat,  recover  the  torpedo,  return  to 
the  ship  and  hoist  it  aboard,  taking  all  the 
steps  necessary  in  the  most  approved  man- 
ner. The  mine  drill  consists  of  the  assembly 
by  the  midshipmen  of  three  types  of  mines, 
which  are  then  inspected.  The  faults  and 
omissions  in  this  work  are  pointed  out. 
Every  first   classman  also  handles  a  range 


Practical  Instruction  and  Drills  157 

finder,  makes  all  the  adjustments,  and  by- 
personal  touch  gets  familiar  with  the  instru- 
ment even  though  the  following  did  take 
place  recently: 

Midshipman. — "This  range  finder  is  not 
very  useful  in  a  fog,  is  it?" 

Instructor  (a  most  fitting  retort). — "No, 
and  neither  is  it  of  any  use  to  a  blind  man." 
This  all  helps  the  instruction  and  relieves  a 
Httle  of  the  humdrum  of  routine. 

The  midshipman  thus  has  a  great  variety 
of  practical  work  of  all  types,  too  Httle  in 
each  to  permit  of  his  becoming  an  expert  or 
to  bring  monotony  to  him  but  sufficient  to 
ground  him  in  the  rudiments  of  the  naval 
profession.  The  comprehensive  grasp  he 
attains  of  the  general  scientific  and  mechani- 
cal apparatus,  with  the  knowledge  of  its 
limitations  fits  him  to  hold  the  position  of  an 
officer,  who  must  understand  his  tools,  be 
they  located  on  the  bridge,  the  turrets,  or 
the  engine  room  platform,  if  he  is  to  efficiently 
direct  a  ship  or  squadron. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

RELIGION — DISCIPLINE — MORALE 

"Historically,  good  men  with  poor  ships  are 
better  than  poor  men  with  good  ships." — Mahan. 

The  dome  of  the  Naval  Academy  chapel 
is  the  first  object  that  greets  the  eye  as  one 
approaches  AnnapoUs  either  by  land  or  sea. 
As  the  grounds  of  the  Naval  Academy  are 
entered,  this  chapel  is  the  most  conspicuous 
building  and  is  ever  present  from  all  parts 
thereof.  Possibly  it  was  thus  planned  in 
order  to  keep  within  the  horizon  of  the  mid- 
shipman's life  the  fact  of  the  existence  of 
the  Creator  of  all  good,  if  such  a  reminder 
be  deemed  necessary  by  any,  or  to  kindle 
his  zeal  and  industry  as  he  realizes  that  in  its 
crypt  rest  the  remains  of  the  Navy's  first 

noted  sailor,  John  Paul  Jones,  who  gave  to 
158 


Religion — Discipline — Morale     159 

the  United  States  Navy  its  first  traditions  of 
heroism  and  victory.  When  in  later  years  he 
is  on  a  gunboat  or  destroyer  that  is  fighting 
for  its  very  existence  in  a  yelling  tempest, 
battered  by  the  swinging  smoking  seas,  the 
midshipman  may  feel  his  heavy  heart  cheered 
as  there  comes  to  his  mind  the  beautiful 
altar  window  of  the  chapel  which  depicts 
his  Redeemer  walking  upon  the  waters,  the 
controller  of  the  winds  and  seas  today  even 
as  then. 

The  regular  "Official  Divine  Service"  is 
held  in  the  chapel  every  Sunday  morning 
at  10.40.  All  midshipmen  are  required  to 
attend  except  that  those  who  are  Roman 
Catholics,  together  with  a  few  of  other  de- 
nominations who  have  obtained  the  necessary 
permission,  are  allowed  to  attend  the  service 
of  their  choice  in  the  city  of  Annapolis.  All 
march  to  and  from  their  quarters  to  services 
in  military  formation.  In  the  chapel  the 
service  is  non-sectarian  in  character  though 
the  Navy  Regulations  permit  all  chaplains 
to  conduct   their  service  according   to   the 


i6o  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

form  used  by  their  own  religious  bodies. 
Being  himself  a  sea-going  officer,  the  Chap- 
lain is  able  during  his  addresses  to  impart  the 
viewpoint  of  the  sea,  and  to  give  proper 
advice  to  the  midshipmen  on  all  points  which 
tend  to  build  up  and  strengthen  character, 
the  strong  foundation  of  success  on  the  sea 
as  well  as  on  the  land.  Occasionally  the 
sermon  is  delivered  by  some  distinguished 
visitor. 

The  service  is  hearty  and  inspiring,  conduc- 
ing to  the  love  of  one's  country  and  is  un- 
doubtedly of  vast  benefit  to  the  midshipmen. 
As  is  the  case  anywhere,  midshipmen  do  not 
always  concentrate  their  attention  on  the  re- 
marks but  at  intervals  let  their  thoughts  and 
eyes  wander  to  the  gallery  where  sits  the  young 
lady  whom  they  escorted  to  the  hop  last  even- 
ing and  with  whom,  after  chapel,  they  are  to 
stroll  in  the  grounds  and  inspect  the  glories 
of  Bancroft  Hall ;  nevertheless,  in  spite  of  such 
distractions,  a  net  gain  in  character  must 
result.  The  Chaplain  finds  many  proofs  of 
this  in   his   daily   ministrations,   and   there 


THE  NAVAL  ACADEMY  CHAPEL 


Religion — Discipline — Morale    i6i 

are  many  midshipmen  who,  though  not  af- 
filiated with  any  church,  when  they  entered 
four  years  eadier,  leave  the  Academy  as  regu- 
lar members  of  some  denomination.  There 
is  every  Sunday  morning  a  voluntary  "Early 
Service,"  to  which  all  who  are  communicants 
of  any  Christian  body  are  invited.  Nor  is 
there  a  poor  attendance  at  these  services. 

Midshipmen  assist  at  Sunday  School  held 
after  the  morning  service  for  the  children  of 
the  officers  stationed  at  the  Academy  or 
living  in  the  city,  who  with  their  guests  com- 
prise an  important  part  of  the  Chaplain's 
congregations.  A  mid-week  Bible  class  for 
advanced  study  is  conducted  by  the  Chap- 
lain and  is  well  attended  by  the  midshipmen. 

On  Sunday  evenings,  immediately  after 
mess,  the  Naval  Academy  Y.  M.  C.  A., 
which  is  a  local  body,  holds  meetings  in 
Memorial  Hall.  A  useful  handbook  for 
midshipmen  called  Reef  Points  is  published 
by  this  organization,  which  also  provides 
the  reading  matter  found  in  Memorial  Hall. 
The  speaker  is  generally  a  visiting  clergyman, 


i62  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

or  Christian  worker,  perhaps  a  Congressman 
or  a  physician,  or  a  leader  in  Army  or  Navy 
life,  invited  for  the  evening.  The  attend- 
ance is  always  large,  and  is,  of  course,  volun- 
tary. Though  under  the  supervision  of  the 
Chaplain,  the  midshipmen  conduct  the  meet- 
ing themselves,  choosing  their  own  speaker. 
As  in  all  other  assemblies  of  the  Academy, 
the  time  limit  is  sharply  drawn,  for  at  eight 
o'clock,  by  which  hour  the  meeting  has 
lasted  not  over  forty  minutes,  all  midshipmen 
must  be  in  their  rooms  to  "bone"  until  9.30 
in  preparation  for  the  recitations  of  the 
morrow. 

The  daily  prayers,  said  after  breakfast  in 
the  mess  hall  by  the  Chaplain  while  the 
midshipmen  stand  at  parade  rest,  and  the  one 
attendance  at  church  on  Sundays  are  the 
only  compulsory  features  of  the  midshipman's 
religious  life.  These  help  him  to  realize 
that  he  is  not  merely  an  individual  but  is  a 
member  of  an  organization  even  in  his  devo- 
tions, as  is  evidenced  by  the  prayer  for  his 
brothers  in  the  fleet,  by  the  one  for  his  fellow 


Religion — Discipline — Morale    163 

members  in  the  Academy,  both  of  which  he 
hears  every  Sunday  morning,  and  by  the  hymn 
which  closes  every  divine  service  commending 
to  the  care  and  protection  of  the  Eternal 
Father,  all  "Those  in  peril  on  the  sea." 

On  a  Simday  evening  just  prior  to  gradua- 
tion a  copy  of  the  Students'  Oxford  Bible, 
bound  in  flexible  leather  of  durable  and  con- 
venient size  for  use  aboard  ship,  is  presented 
to  each  member  of  the  graduating  class 
assembled  in  Recreation  Hall  by  the  Ameri- 
can Seaman's  Friend  Society,  a  fitting  address 
being  deHvered  at  the  same  time  by  its 
secretary,  the  Rev.  Dr.  George  F.  Webster, 
or  by  some  other  appropriate  person  chosen 
by  the  Society. 

The  morning  and  evening  salute  to  the 
colours,  together  with  the  patriotic  sermons 
and  addresses  heard  often  in  the  Chapel, 
serve  to  quicken  the  spirit  of  loyalty  and 
devotion  to  country.  The  flag  is  made  the 
subject  of  frequent  remarks  that  tend  to 
implant  its  meaning  firmly  in  the  heart  of 
the  midshipman.     The  purpose  of  the  Navy 


i64  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy- 
is  indicated  in  that  prayer  made  each  Sunday 
that  it  may  be  a  safeguard  to  all  those  who 
use  the  sea  upon  their  lawful  occasions.  The 
primary  reason  for  the  Navy  and  for  the 
necessity  of  keeping  that  arm  of  national 
defence  in  a  continual  state  of  readiness,  is 
well  and  similarly  brought  out  by  a  famous 
admiral  who  says: 

"Heaven  gives  the  crown  of  victory  to 
those  only  who,  by  habitual  preparation  win 
without  fighting,  and  at  the  same  time  forth- 
with deprives  of  that  crown  those  who,  con- 
tent with  one  success,  give  themselves  up  to 
the  ease  of  peace." — Togo. 

On  the  Sunday  just  prior  to  the  graduation 
ceremonies  is  delivered  the  final  address  to 
the  graduating  class,  the  last  religious  service 
the  midshipman  hears  in  the  Chapel,  and 
at  the  close  of  the  service  the  hymn  "God 
be  with  you  till  we  meet  again"  is  sung  with 
great  effect  by  a  quartette  from  the  organ 
balcony. 

Religion  in  the  daily  life  ot  the  midshipman 
is  thus  a  useful  and  essential    part  of  the 


MASON     MEMORIAL    WINDOW. 

THE  INTERIOR  OF  THE  CHAPEL 


Photo  by  McAboy 

PORTER     MEMORIAL     WINDOW 


Religion — Discipline — Morale     165 

education  at  Annapolis,  never  being  unduly 
thrust  upon  him  but  being  made  an  ever- 
present,  strong  influence  in  the  moulding  of 
his  character. 

The  discipline  of  the  Naval  Academy  well 
illustrates  the  principle  that  in  every  com- 
munity discipline  means  simply  organized 
living.  It  is  the  condition  of  living  right 
because  without  right  living,  civilization 
cannot  exist.  Persons  who  will  not  Hve 
right  must  be  compelled  to  do  so,  and  upon 
such  misguided  individuals  there  must  be 
placed  restraints.  To  these  alone  is  disci- 
pline ever  harsh  or  a  form  of  punishment. 
Surely  this  is  just  as  it  should  be.  The 
world  would  be  better  if  such  individuals 
were  made  to  feel  the  tyrannical,  unyielding, 
and  hard-mailed  fist  in  order  to  drive  them 
from  an  organization  to  which  they  have  no 
right  to  belong.  That  there  are  unfortu- 
nately some  such  curious  personalities  in 
every  large  organization  is  however,  a  truth, 
that  must  be  admitted. 


1 66  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

This  discipline  is  not  harsh  or  hard  nor  are 
undue  restrictions  of  any  kind  placed  on  the 
midshipmen.  Discipline  consists  only  in 
the  regulating  of  the  conduct  and  the  daily 
routine  of  the  Hfe  of  the  members  of  the 
regiment,  to  the  end  that  the  maximum 
results  mentally,  physically,  and  morally 
may  be  attained,  and  that  all  may  share  alike 
in  their  opportunities  both  for  work  and  for 
play.  Regulations  and  orders,  therefore,  take 
the  form  more  of  guides  to  procedure  than 
the  assignment  of  punishment  for  the  infrac- 
tion of  proper  conduct  or  misdemeanours. 
The  routine  and  the  organization  of  the  regi- 
ment are  the  residt  of  many  years  of  gradual 
development,  with  constant  improvement 
under  the  guidance  of  the  various  able  sea- 
men who  compose  the  faculty  or  Academic 
Board  from  time  to  time.  The  view  taken 
by  them  has  been  always  that  the  final  pro- 
duct is  the  object  to  be  striven  for,  and  that 
the  development  of  a  thorough  seaman  who 
will  be  an  addition,  an  asset,  to  the  efficiency 
of  the  battleship,  light  cruiser,  destroyer,  or 


Religion — Discipline — Morale    167 

submarine  of  whose  personnel  he  will  soon 
form  a  part,  is  their  ultimate  goal. 

The  present  Commandant  of  Midshipmen, 
Captain  L.  M.  Nulton,  U.  S.  Navy,  thus 
tritely  expresses  the  end  sought  by  the  dis- 
cipline and  training:  "The  objective  is  the 
fleet,  the  doctrine  is  responsibility,  and  the 
problem  is  the  formation  of  military  char- 
acter." 

As  before  stated  there  are  no  unnecessary 
regulations,  there  is  a  good  and  sufficient 
reason  for  all,  and  furthermore  there  is  no 
endeavour  made  to  hide  this  reason.  On  the 
contrary  the  regiment  is  taken  into  the 
secret,  if  there  be  one,  as  to  the  whys  and 
wherefores  of  all  rules  made  and  enforced. 
Such  explanation  of  the  organization  and 
discipline  of  the  Naval  Academy  is  made  as 
a  whole  in  the  lectures  given  to  the  new  fourth 
classmen  one  night  a  week  during  the  summer. 

The  officers  administering  the  affairs  of  the 
Naval  Academy,  having  had  the  same  train- 
ing that  is  being  given  the  midshipmen, 
together  with  the  broadening  experience  of 


1 68  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

their  lives  on  the  high  seas  and  in  command  of 
men,  are  in  thorough  sympathy  with  the 
midshipmen,  and  enjoy  the  opportunity  for 
training  and  character  building  afforded  them 
by  a  tour  of  duty  at  the  Academy.  The  bond 
imiting  the  service  was  well  expressed  by  one 
present  Head  of  Department  when  he  said: 
"  I  love  the  midshipmen,  and  some  day  I  look 
forward  to  becoming  their  commandant." 
Midshipmen  are  thus  trained  and  educated 
by  men  in  thorough  sympathy  with  their 
point  of  view,  men  who  realize  the  difficulties 
and  discouragements  to  which  they  are 
subjected. 

The  standard  of  honour  maintained  at 
the  Naval  Academy  is  the  highest  possible. 
It  is  assumed  that  a  midshipman  instinctively 
tells  the  truth  and  that  any  statement,  writ- 
ten or  oral,  made  by  him  contains  nothing 
but  the  facts  expressed  in  language  capable 
of  but  one  interpretation. 

The  main  function  of  demerits  is  that  of 
record,  in  order  that  midshipmen  may  be 


J    z 


a    5 


Religion — Discipline — Morale     169 

classed  in  their  ability  to  obey  as  well  as  in 
their  proficiency  in  studies.  Many  a  battle 
has  been  lost  by  this  inability,  inherent  in 
some  personalities,  to  obey.  "The  man  who 
has  not  learnt  to  obey,  is  wanting  in  the  first 
essential  of  command,"  is  the  manner  in 
which  this  truth  has  been  so  well  expressed 
by  the  late  Rear  Admiral  Sir  Christopher 
Cradock.  The  brightest  young  man  with- 
out the  power  and  inclination  to  obey  orders 
in  their  entirety  will  develop  into  an  oflScer 
who  is  not  only  useless,  but  a  menace  to  his 
ship  and  his  country. 

Needless  infractions  of  rules, — as  smoking, 
for  example — are  an  indication  that  the  mid- 
shipman guilty  of  them  is  not  willing  to  abide 
by  the  just  rules  of  an  organization  of  which 
he  is  a  part,  and,  therefore,  that  he  should 
leave  the  Academy  in  order  to  make  room  for 
the  many  boys  who  are  equally  competent 
mentally,  and  in  addition  are  willing  to  re- 
cognize that  the  regulations  have  been  estab- 
lished and  approved  by  successive  groups  of 
men  who  have  gone  through  this  same  training 


170  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

and  have  added  to  it  their  years  of  experience 
on  the  high  seas,  and  that,  therefore,  these 
rules  should  be  cheerfully,  loyally,  and  strictly 
obeyed.  That  rules  must  be  obeyed  is  a 
fact  that  is  recognized  by  the  business  world 
as  well  as  the  Navy,  as  a  recent  example  will 
illustrate.  A  firm  to  whom  a  midshipman, 
bilged  for  repeated  infractions  of  the  smoking 
regulations,  had  applied  for  employment 
stated  that,  although  smoking  was  not  neces- 
sarily against  any  of  their  rules,  yet  the  fact 
that  he,  while  a  midshipman,  had  not  chosen 
to  obey  the  rules  of  the  organization  of  which 
he  then  formed  a  part,  that  is  the  regiment 
of  midshipmen,  was  sufficient  to  condemn  him 
in  their  eyes,  and  so  they  had  concluded  he 
was  not  the  type  of  man  they  desired  in  their 
organization. 

Responsibility  is  a  word  that  covers  much 
and  means  much  to  the  very  life  of  the 
Academy.  To  the  service,  responsibility 
coupled  with  loyalty  and  obedience  is  es- 
sential to  the  efficient  existence  of  our 
Navy    and    the    upkeep   of   its    traditions. 


Religion — Discipline — Morale    171 

Is  not  the  acquirement  of  self-discipline  one 
of  the  greatest  responsibilities  that  a  naval 
officer  has?  To  be  a  leader  of  men  such  an 
appreciation  of  the  value  of  responsibility 
is  essential  and  ought  to  be  every  graduate's 
ambition.  The  discipline  of  the  Naval  Acad- 
emy, as  indicated  in  its  rules  or  guides  to 
conduct,  endeavours  thus  at  the  outset  to 
inculcate  self-discipline  by  making  the  mid- 
shipmen consider  the  humanities  of  life,  the 
spirit  of  the  service,  and  appreciate  that  the 
value  of  each  to  the  service  is  going  to  be 
the  greater  the  more  each  realizes  his  responsi- 
bility, in  whatever  position  he  may  occupy, 
in  what  concerns  the  welfare  and  service  of 
his  future  men. 

In  instilling  the  sense  of  responsibility  the 
many  able  sermons  that  are  delivered  on 
Sundays  in  the  chapel  contribute  a  large 
impulse.  Visiting  chaplains  and  clergymen 
all  assist  in  the  work,  point  out  the  fact  that 
the  fleet  is  the  doctrine  and  that  the  man  who 
is  to  be  of  value  there  must  possess  responsi- 
biHty,  else  he  will  never  be  a  leader.     Respon- 


172  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

sibility  does  not  come  without  hardships  or 
restrictions;  the  leader  is  less  free  than  his 
men.  He  has  not  only  certain  work  to  do, 
but  is  responsible  for  his  own  and  that  of 
others  as  well.  This  sense  of  responsibility 
to  others  as  well  as  to  one's  self  cannot  be 
appreciated  without  experience,  and  the 
organization  of  the  Academy  was  planned 
materially  to  aid  the  acquirement  of  such 
responsibility  and  to  teach  it  progressively. 

There  is  an  unofficial  organization  of  the 
midshipmen  that  assists  the  discipline  and 
the  maintenance  of  a  high  honour  standard. 
When  the  "plebes"  become  "youngsters," 
the  class  holds  an  election  for  the  class  officers 
consisting  of  a  president,  a  secretary,  and  a 
treasurer,  together  with  members  of  the  hop 
committee,  and  a  representative  of  the  class 
on  the  executive  committee  of  the  midship- 
men's athletic  association.  The  last  men- 
tioned office  is  also  held  by  a  fourth  classman, 
this  being  the  only  elective  office  for  a  mid- 
shipman of  that  class. 

The  position  of  president  of  the  class  is 


THE  CHAPEL  THROUGH  THE  ARCADE 


Religion — Discipline — Morale    173 

one  that  is  very  important  to  the  welfare 
not  only  of  the  class  but  of  the  discipline  of 
the  Academy.  Many  infractions  against 
honour  are  prevented  through  the  influence 
of  this  midshipman  and  not  infrequently 
discipline  is  much  aided.  Sometimes  a  state- 
ment in  regard  to  an  offence  is  submitted  by 
the  midshipman  accused  thereof,  that,  on 
the  face  of  it,  may  be  true,  yet  is  in  reality  a 
lie.  Such  an  evasive  and  dishonourable 
statement  cannot  be  detected  by  the  author- 
ities, who  consider  the  midshipman's  word 
as  good  as  gold.  Often  it  happens  that  the 
midshipman  who  has  made  such  a  statement 
is  detected  therein  by  his  class,  and  through 
the  class  president  a  court  of  honour,  or  call 
it  what  you  will,  is  held,  and  the  midshipman 
dealt  with  severely  for  his  insult  to  the  morals 
and  honour  of  the  regiment.  Resignations 
have  followed  as  the  result  of  such  proceed- 
ings. The  midshipman  is  jealous  of  the 
honourable  character  of  his  calling  and  strives 
his  best  to  maintain  the  standard  set  before 
him  by  the  officers  of  the  Navy. 


174  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

The  "Articles  for  the  Government  of  the 
Navy  of  the  United  States" — or  as  they  are 
more  usually  called  in  the  service,  the  "Arti- 
cles of  War" — must  be  read  by  each  mid- 
shipman each  month  and  report  must  be 
made  by  the  midshipman  to  the  officer  in 
charge  of  his  battalion  that  this  requirement 
has  been  complied  with.  These  Articles,  state 
that:  "The  commanders  of  all  fleets,  squad- 
rons, naval  stations,  and  vessels  belonging  to 
the  Navy  are  required  to  show  in  themselves 
a  good  example  of  virtue,  honour,  patriotism, 
and  subordination."  If  the  midshipman  fol- 
low only  the  spirit  of  this  precept,  he  cannot 
go  far  wrong  in  his  career. 


CHAPTER  IX 

PHYSICAL  TRAINING  AND  MEDICAL  CARE 

"A  sound  mind  in  a  sound  body  is  a  thing  to  be 
prayed  for. ' ' — Juvenal. 

The  whole  direction  of  the  physical  wel- 
fare of  the  midshipman  is  entrusted  to  the 
athletic  officer,  whose  duties  comprise  the 
physical  training  of  the  entire  regiment 
through  gymnastic  work,  athletic  exercises, 
and  competitions  between  classes  and  with 
other  institutions  in  all  branches  of  sport. 
The  tendency  to  develop  the  popularity  of 
sports  within  the  institution  at  the  expense 
of  decreasing  outside  competitions  is  very 
marked.  In  common  with  other  schools, 
this  tendency  is  increasing  because  interclass 
competitions  develop  the  many,  who  have 

the  prior  right  for  consideration,  instead  of 
175 


176  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

the  few,  who,  by  reason  of  especial  abiHty 
and  physique,  are  able  to  be  members  of  the 
Navy  team  in  various  athletic  contests. 

The  physical  training  consists,  then,  of 
the  gymnastic  work  and  of  the  athletic  sports 
of  all  kinds.  In  19 12  a  compulsory  system 
of  gymnastic  physical  training  was  applied 
and  the  effort  was  made  to  stimulate  a  desire 
for  uniform  development  by  spreading  the. 
athletic  material  in  more  branches  of  sport, 
thus  interesting  more  midshipmen  and  so 
increasing  the  net  physical  benefits.  The 
dynamometer  strength  test  on  the  Kellogg 
system  of  measurements  is  now  in  use.  The 
surgeon,  who  is  especially  charged  with  the 
physical  development  of  the  midshipman, 
examines  each  midshipman  once  a  year,  in 
April.  In  this  test  the  strength  of  practically 
every  working  muscle  is  measured  separately. 
A  standard  of  strength,  in  accordance  with 
the  height  of  the  individual,  is  established 
for  each  muscle.  This  standard  increases 
with  each  year  of  the  course,  thus  insuring 
a  progressive   development.     The  midship- 


White  Studio 
PHYSICAL  DRILL.     SV/EDISH  SYSTEM.     STRETCH.  STRIDE.  POSITION 


SWIMMING  INSTRUCTION 

RE.\DY    TO    DIVE 


While  Studio 


Physical  Training — Medical  Care  177 

men  are  then  classified  as  strong  or  weak,  and 
physical  cards  are  furnished  each  showing 
his  strong  or  weak  points  and  indicating  the 
exercises  prescribed  to  bring  the  weak  muscles 
up  to  the  required  standard.  Midshipmen 
who  have  five  or  more  strength  deficiencies 
are  required  to  take  two  and  one  half  hours 
of  compulsory  drill  in  the  gymnasium  per 
week  in  addition  to  the  routine  gymnastic 
drills.  For  the  compulsory  or  weak  squad 
drills  the  midshipmen  are  arranged  in  groups 
according  to  their  weakness  or  physical  defi- 
ciencies and  are  given  suitable  exercises 
with  the  ultimate  hope  that  they  will  gradu- 
ally attain  the  normal  physical  development 
of  all  muscles. 

General  gymnastic  drills  are  continued 
throughout  the  entire  four  years,  the  last 
year  being  devoted  to  the  object  of  training 
the  graduating  class  to  be  instructors  of 
enlisted  men  on  shipboard.  There  can  be 
no  doubt  that  men  normally  developed  to  a 
reasonable  standard  at  the  time  of  their 
graduation   from   the   Naval  Academy   are 


178  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

especially  well  fitted  for  the  Navy  from  a 
purely  physical  point  of  view.  The  primary 
object  of  all  physical  exercise  at  the  Naval 
Academy  may  be  said  to  be  the  development 
of  the  physique  in  a  symmetrical  manner 
and  to  such  an  extent  as  to  conduce  to  the 
present  and  future  physical  and  mental 
well-being  of  the  individual  under  the  vary- 
ing vicissitudes  of  the  naval  service,  and  to 
this  end  all  exercise  is  made  pleasurable, 
adapted  to  the  physiological  age,  equable, 
and  fairly  continuous. 

In  gymnastic  work  the  Swedish  system  of 
physical  training,  modeled  somewhat  upon 
the  British  Navy  Manual,  has  been  the 
standard  since  19 12,  and  its  results,  as  com- 
pared with  those  obtained  by  the  previous 
systems  or  lack  of  systems  in  vogue,  have 
justified  its  continuance  as  a  most  important 
part  of  the  curriculum,  as  obligatory  as  is 
navigation  and  all  other  studies.  It  should 
be  noted  that  the  adoption  of  the  compulsory 
gymnastic  training  was  forced  as  one  of  the 
natural  consequences  of  the  abandonment  of 


Physical  Training — Medical  Care  179 

the  summer  practice  cruise  upon  sailing 
vessels.  These  cruises  with  their  manning 
the  braces,  halliards,  sheets,  clewHnes  and 
reef  tackles,  their  running  aloft  furHng  or 
reefing  sail  developed  the  young  officer's 
permanent  physical  well-being  in  a  manner 
that  no  substituted  activity  can  achieve. 
There  is  practically  no  opportunity  for 
healthful  physical  exercise  upon  the  modem 
battleships  now  used  during  the  summer 
months  as  the  school  of  training,  and,  in 
consequence,  the  strength  of  the  individual 
generally  shows  deterioration  upon  the  con- 
clusion of  the  cruise.  Much  time  is  spent 
in  the  hot,  poorly  ventilated  dynamo-  and 
engine-rooms  and  so,  instead  of  the  former 
bronzed,  hardy  midshipman  of  the  sailing  ship 
period,  one  sees  tired  boys  with  pale  faces 
returning  from  the  cruise.  A  careful  system 
of  gymnastic  training  thus  gradually  became 
an  essential  part  of  the  academic  course. 
The  Swedish  system  in  maintaining  all- 
around  physical  health,  has  proved  well 
adapted  for  the  requirements  of  the  Naval 


i8o  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

Academy,  and  so  a  brief  description  of  some 
of  its  features  will  be  given. 

The  benefit  of  this  system,  combined  with 
the  regular  life  and  the  good  food,  is  indicated 
by  the  records.  The  average  gain  in  weight  for 
the  first  six  months  of  attendance  at  the  Acad- 
emy is  nearly  ten  pounds  per  man,  so  that  a 
class  of  two  hundred  men  takes  on  about 
a  ton  of  flesh.  The  added  weight  does  not 
consist  of  fat,  but  of  muscle,  bone,  and  sinew. 

The  exercises  for  each  day  are  so  arranged 
that  they  affect  the  body  in  a  progressive 
way,  the  classes  of  movements  following 
each  other  in  the  same  way.  A  typical 
schedule  for  a  day  follows : 

1.  A  light  work-out  for  the  entire  body 
in  order  to  get  the  blood  circulating  and  to 
loosen  up  the  muscles  and  joints.  The  exer- 
cises consist  of  formation  of  the  class,  dress- 
ings, facings,  and  openings. 

2.  Leg  exercises  stimulate  the  circulation 
of  the  lower  extremities  and  by  bringing 
blood  to  these  parts  exert  a  calming  effect 
on  the  respiratory  and  heart  action. 


^ 


T.* 


US'* 


1 


\   <       O 


::^i 


:ixi-; 


Physical  Training — Medical  Care  i8i 

3.  Span  bending  exercises  develop  the 
upper  back  muscles  and  stretch  the  chest 
muscles  and  so  counteract  the  cramping 
brought  about  by  bad  posture,  or  excessive 
work  on  ordinary  gymnasium  apparatus. 
These  keep  the  chest  supple  and  favour  lung 
expansion. 

4.  Heaving  exercises  aid  in  the  production 
of  a  good  carriage. 

5.  Balance  exercises  are  designed  to 
affect  the  nervous  system  and  its  relation  to 
co-ordination.  Attention  is  required  until 
the  antagonistic  muscles  are  trained  to  work 
together. 

6.  Dorsal  exercises  affect  the  muscles  of 
the  spine  and  thus  make  for  the  erectness  and 
the  extension  of  the  body. 

7.  Abdominal  muscles  are  strengthened 
and  the  hollow  back  (a  prevalent  condition) 
prevented  by  the  next  exercises  on  the  day's 
schedule,  which  also  aid  the  digestive  organs. 

8.  Lateral  exercises  follow  in  order  to 
improve  both  sides  alike,  separate  the  ribs, 
make  the  chest  more  supple  and  resiHent, 


1 82  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

benefit  the  abdominal  organs  'and  give  sup- 
pleness to  the  carriage  of  the  body. 

9.  Jumping  and  vaulting  exercises  require 
control,  develop  judgment,  presence  of  mind, 
quickness  of  movement,  resource,  courage, 
and  the  ability  to  turn  a  quickly  formed  idea 
into  action.  One  acquires  the  habit  of  using 
just  sufficient  muscular  action  and  no  more. 
The  nervous  system  is  exhilarated.  The 
form  in  which  the  acts  are  done  is  the  essential 
thing  and  not  the  length  or  height  of  the 
jumps  and  vaults. 

10.  Breathing  exercises,  used  next,  employ 
the  muscles  of  the  respiration  and  result  in 
mobility  of  the  chest. 

11.  Marching  and  running  exercises  give 
the  body  a  free  and  easy  movement  and  tend 
to  improve  its  carriage.  The  progression  in 
running  is  gradual,  the  duration  never  ex- 
ceeding five  minutes.  A  slow  dog-trot  is  the 
approved  gait. 

12.  The  day^s  order  is  completed  with 
light  exercises,  the  movements  preponderat- 
ing being  the  slow  leg  and  the  breathing 


Physical  Training — Medical  Care  183 

exercises.  These  not  only  calm  down  the 
nervous  and  blood-circulating  systems  but 
act  as  correctors  of  posture. 

Progression  is  kept  up  by  performing  all 
exercises  but  four  times,  and  the  most  violent 
only  once.  The  changes  from  easy  to  hard 
exercises  are  only  made  after  good  form  has 
been  attained. 

A  great  point  is  made  of  the  method  of 
using  the  "words  of  command,"  in  order  to 
properly  fix  attention  and  set  up  nervous 
impulses  to  the  muscles  concerned  which  are 
a  direct  response  to  an  effort  of  the  will.  An 
effect  of  mental  concentration  on  a  muscular 
movement  is  illustrated  by  noting  that,  the 
muscle  group  directly  concerned  in  throwing 
the  leg  forward  in  running  or  walking  is  the 
only  group  that  strength  tests  of  midshipmen 
have  proven  to  be  stronger  on  the  left  than 
on  the  right  side,  this  undoubtedly  because 
of  the  necessity  of  stepping  forward  with  the 
left  foot  first  in  all  military  formations. 

"Form"  is  insisted  upon  in  order  to  obtain 
the  highest  degree  of  benefit  from  the  exer- 


184  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

cises.  An  apparently  easy  exercise  in  bad 
form  becomes  a  difficult  one  when  the  proper 
form  is  maintained.  Printed  instructions 
as  to  the  proper  time  for  any  kind  of  exer- 
cise and  bathing  are  furnished  each  midship- 
man for  his  guidance,  so  that  he  cannot  go 
wrong  through  ignorance  of  what  is  right  in 
the  matter  of  acquiring  and  maintaining  a 
good  physical  body. 

That  an  officer  should  be  thus  sound  is 
recognized  as  a  principle  and,  in  the  later 
years  in  the  service,  a  certain  amount  of 
outdoor  exercise  each  calendar  month  and  a 
physical  examination  held  at  the  beginning 
of  each  year  are  prescribed. 
[  Compulsory  physical  training  was  adopted, 
as  has  been  seen,  because  of  the  lack  of  the 
former  opportunities  given  by  the  practice 
cruise  by  which  the  necessary  strength  was 
acquired,  and  has  proved  very  beneficial 
to  the  midshipmen,  the  results  indicating 
that  the  system  chosen  is  a  good  one.  Of 
the  479  midshipmen  who  failed  to  qualify 
in  strength  in  an  October  test  but  thirty 


Physical  Training — Medical  Care  185 

remained  the  following  May,  these  with  but 
minor  deficiencies.  This  compulsory  train- 
ing in  the  Swedish  system  begins  upon  en- 
trance, and  is  continued  during  the  entire 
summer  for  from  one  and  a  quarter  to  one 
and  a  half  hours  on  four  days  of  the  week. 
The  influence  of  these  exercises  upon  the 
fourth  classmen  is  very  marked.  They  are 
enabled  to  assume  the  correct  carriage  of  the 
body,  the  chest  being  developed  very  materi- 
ally, the  joints  loosened,  contracted  muscles 
stretched,  and  the  spine  adjusted.  It  is  a 
problem  how  to  counteract  the  bad  positions 
and  forms  assumed  by  midshipmen  during 
the  study  and  recitation  hours.  The  Hmited 
amount  of  physical  drill  is  not  sufficient  to 
accompHsh  this,  and  so  the  gymnasium  must 
provide  the  substitute  by  its  adoption  of  the 
best  systems  known.  As  used  in  the  gym- 
nasium the  Swedish  system  appears  to  have 
accomplished  much  in  developing  the  fol- 
lowing desirable  qualities  in  the  midshipmen : 
muscle  control,  self-reliance,  courage,  alert- 
ness of    perception,   quickness  in   response 


1 86  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

both  mental  and  muscular,  erectness  of  body, 
symmetry  and  endurance;  besides  which  it 
has  given  them  generally  improved  health 
and  physique.  The  undergraduate  does  not 
always  take  the  view  just  given  of  the  gymna- 
sium drills,  judging  by  remarks  printed  in 
the  Lucky  Bag  to  the  effect  that :  * '  Time  was 
when  First  Class  gym  drills  were  fun — then 
they  became  work — now  they  are  torture." 
The  swimming  pool  is  a  large,  inviting  one, 
ninety  feet  by  sixty  feet,  filled  with  clear 
fresh  water  that  is  kept  in  an  absolutely 
sanitary  condition  at  all  times.  The  water 
is  filtered  through  sand  and  gravel  after 
first  having  been  treated  with  alum  and  soda 
and  a  solution  of  chlorinated  lime.  In  this 
pool  are  held  the  swimming  contests  with 
many  colleges.  Before  graduation  every 
midshipman  must  be  a  qualified  swimmer: 
he  must  be  able  to  swim  150  yards  in  seven 
minutes,  know  three  strokes  well,  dive  credit- 
ably, pick  up  objects  at  depths  of  eight  feet, 
and  be  a  capable  life  saver.  In  May  of 
each  year  there  are  still  members  of  the  first 


I 


Physical  Training — Medical  Care  187 

class  struggling  hard  to  pass  this  examination 
in  swimming,  which  is  by  no  means  a  per- 
functory one. 

The  floor  of  the  gymnasium  contains  six 
handball  courts,  which  are  always  occupied 
during  recreation  hours,  the  sport  developing 
agiHty  and  accuracy  in  a  very  marked  degree. 

The  need  for  more  infantry  drill  to  straight- 
en the  carriage  has  been  indicated,  but  no  time 
beyond  that  now  allotted  can  be  thus  spent. 
The  marching  in  military  formation  to  and 
from  recitations,  to  drills,  and  to  meals,  all 
assists  in  forcing  an  erect  and  military  car- 
riage. The  layout  of  the  grounds  is  such 
that  during  the  day  the  midshipmen  are 
enabled  to  get  a  Httle  rest  from  the  section 
rooms  and  their  study  room  in  the  marching 
from  Bancroft  Hall  to  the  Academic  Build- 
ing, the  Steam  Building,  or  the  Armory,  and 
Seamanship  Buildings.  These  little  breath- 
ing spells  during  the  day  contribute  materially 
to  the  physical  welfare  of  the  regiment,  and 
the  midshipmen  naturally  enjoy  them  even 
during  inclement  weather. 


i88  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

Now  that  the  methods  taken  to  insure 
sound  strong  bodies  have  been  considered, 
attention  may  be  directed  to  the  care  taken 
to  prevent  illness  and  the  means  adopted 
to  make  the  sick  recover  their  health. 

The  bugle  sounds  the  mournful  sick  call 
daily,  immediately  after  breakfast,  at  which 
time  a  medical  officer  of  the  staff  of  the 
Academy  will  be  found  in  Sick  Quarters,  as 
a  few  offices  and  rooms  on  the  fourth  floor 
of  Bancroft  Hall  are  designated.  Any  mid- 
shipman who  is  ill  or  has  an  injury  such  as 
will  incapacitate  him  from  duty  of  any  kind, 
is  examined,  treated,  or  returned  to  duty  as 
the  result  of  this  examination  may  warrant. 
Unless  a  midshipman  is  really  unfit  for  study 
or  drill,  it  is  seldom  that  he  is  able  to  "pull 
the  Hst"  and  be  excused  therefrom,  no  matter 
if  he  is  unprepared  for  recitation  through 
some  misadventure  or  lack  of  foresight. 
Attendance  at  recitations  and  drills  is  com- 
pulsory unless  ill  health  or  injury  prevent. 
The  cUmate  of  Annapolis  during  all  months, 
excepting  those  of  December,  January,  Febru- 


Physical  Training — Medical  Care  189 

ary  and  March,  is  conducive  to  good  health 
and  general  well  being.  The  four  months 
mentioned  are,  viewed  from  the  standpoint 
of  health,  hard  months,  and  the  sick  and 
hospital  lists  then  contain  the  names  of  many 
midshipmen.  The  openness  of  the  winter 
and  its  frequent  short  periods  of  cold  imme- 
diately followed  by  heat  cause  grippe  and 
pneumonia,  which  are  unfortunately  too 
prevalent. 

Cases  of  sickness  for  a  week  or  more  are 
always  sent  to  the  modem  and  well-equipped 
Naval  Hospital,  located  just  across  Dorsey 
Creek  on  a  high  bluff,  on  the  ridge  that  was 
known  as  Strawberry  Hill,  overlooking  the 
Severn  and  the  harbour.  It  is  a  wonderful 
location,  and  if  there  be  a  power  in  the  seeing 
of  beautiful  nature  to  heal  and  restore  to 
strength,  then  this  hospital  possesses  that 
factor  in  the  treatment  of  the  sick  in  perfec- 
tion. 

Minor  injuries  are  frequent  in  drills  and 
athletics.  The  "plebes"  in  their  first  sum- 
mer always  have  much  trouble  with  their 


190  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

feet,  due  partly  to  new  shoes  and  partly  to 
the  new  strenuosity  of  the  midshipman's 
daily  life.  Football  produces  many  hard 
bruises  and  occasionall}^  a  broken  bone, 
though  of  late  years  under  the  modified 
rules  of  the  game  such  serious  injuries  are 
infrequent. 

The  morning  sick  call  is  supplemented 
by  one  in  the  afternoon  at  five,  that  is,  imme- 
diately after  the  drills  of  the  day.  Any  sud- 
den ilhiess  that  may  occur  at  other  times 
is  always  attended  to  immediately,  there 
being  a  surgeon  in  constant  attendance. 
Many  midshipmen  attend  such  sick  calls 
and  the  record  for  the  year  ending  December 
31,  1915,  shows: 

Admission  and  readmission 1433 

Total  number  of  sick  days 2840 

Daily  average  of  patients 7.8 

Percentage  of  sick 1.6 

Transferred  to  hospital 271 

Medical  Director,  A.  M.  D.  McCormick, 
the  medical  officer  in  charge  of  the  health 
of   the   midshipmen    at    the   Academy,  has 


>•!- 


BPJ 


Physical  Training — Medical  Care  191 

kindly  written  for  this  chapter  some  inter- 
esting facts.     He  says : 

"In  order  that  the  material  of  the  per- 
sonnel of  naval  officers  may  compare  favour- 
ably with  material  of  the  ships  on  which 
they  sail,  great  care  must  be  exercised  at  the 
start  in  selecting  young  men  who  are  to 
receive  commissions.  Therefore,  the  physi- 
cal examination  of  candidates  for  midship- 
men is  very  rigid,  corresponding  to  the  very 
thorough  inspection  of  steel  for  building 
purposes,  and  this  is  not  all,  for  each  year 
at  the  Academy  a  midshipman  is  subjected 
to  another  test  to  ascertain  how  he  is  standing 
the  strain.  So  there  are  five  physical  exami- 
nations before  a  midshipman  is  declared  to 
be  fit  for  the  trials  of  the  naval  service,  to 
the  end  that  in  the  Navy  of  today  there  may 
be  iron  men  on  iron  ships,  not,  as  has  been 
said  of  old,  iron  men  on  wooden  ships  nor 
wooden  men  on  iron  ships.  From  the  time 
of  a  midshipman's  appointment  the  medical 
officers  of  the  Navy  have  supervision  over 
his  health,  and  the  greatest  care  is  taken  that 


192  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

he  may  be  a  valuable  asset  to  the  Govern- 
ment, which  expends  so  much  on  this  unit 
of  preparedness.  As  soon  as  practicable 
after  entering  the  Naval  Academy,  he  is 
vaccinated  against  smallpox  and  inoculated 
against  typhoid  fever,  thus  the  danger  of 
two  diseases  is  eliminated. 

"The  air  a  midshipman  breathes,  the 
water  he  drinks,  the  food  he  eats,  and  the 
light  he  studies  by,  and  many  other  condi- 
tions which  concern  the  health  of  the  mid- 
shipmen, are  under  medical  supervision. 
The  site  of  Bancroft  Hall  was  chosen  for  its 
orientation  and  facility  for  cross-ventilation, 
facing  eastward,  thus  having  the  greatest 
amount  of  sunshine,  and  the  prevailing 
breezes  from  Chesapeake  Bay,  and  also 
having  sufBcient  elevation  for  drainage  and 
a  proper  sewerage  system." 

The  most  important  article  of  food  is  milk 
and  thanks  to  Pay  Inspector  Samuel  Bryan 
no  institution  in  the  world  has  better  milk. 
While  serving  as  commissary  of  the  Academy 
this  officer  made  up  his  mind  that  the  milk 


Physical  Training — Medical  Care  193 

was,  in  every  way,  of  an  inferior  quality,  that 
it  was  supplied  by  unsanitary  dairies,  and 
that  this  one  article  of  food  was  responsible 
for  practically  all  intestinal  troubles.  After 
much  difficulty,  he  succeeded,  in  August, 
1910,  in  obtaining  authorization  to  use 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars  from  the  mid- 
shipmen's store  account  to  estabHsh  a  dairy. 
The  land  used  was  part  of  the  government 
farm,  and  in  December,  19 12,  he  had  pro- 
ceeded so  efficiently  that  there  were  two  barns, 
three  two-hundred-ton  silos,  and  a  herd  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  cows.  And  the  former 
sicknesses  from  gastro-enteritis,  tuberculosis, 
typhoid  fever,  and  septic  tonsilitis,  which  had 
caused  great  havoc  among  the  midshipmen, 
were  absolutely  eliminated.  At  the  begin- 
ning of  the  academic  year,  1912-1913,  the 
dairy  first  began  to  supply  all  the  needs  of 
the  midshipmen.  Milk  that  meets  certified 
requirements  is  sold  to  the  midshipmen  for 
forty  cents  per  gallon,  a  very  considerable 
reduction  from  the  sixty  cents  charged  in 
neighbouring  cities.  The  dairy  is  inspected 
13 


194  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

regularly  by  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry 
of  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  and  is 
usually  rated  above  97.63,  its  rating  of 
September,  19 14.  The  bacteria  count  is 
less  than  3000  per  c.c,  instead  of  the  10,000 
per  c.c,  considered  allowable  for  certified 
milk.  In  New  York  City  100,000  per  c.c. 
is  the  limit  for  Class  A  milk.  The  land  be- 
coming insufficient,  it  was  deemed  neces- 
sary to  seek  another  location.  Congress,  in 
March,  1913,  appropriated  $100,000  for  a 
dairy;  and  for  $56,725  there  were  purchased 
at  Gambrills,  ten  miles  north-west  of  An- 
napolis, 771  acres  to  which  the  dairy  was 
removed.  Its  capacity  is  250  gallons  daily. 
Doctor  McCormick  says:  "The  results 
obtained  through  the  dairy  have  been  widely 
published  by  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry 
as  a  practical  demonstration  of  what  can  be 
accomplished  along  these  lines.  About  four 
hundred  requests  have  been  received  for 
information  concerning  equipment  and  meth- 
ods of  the  dairy  and,  through  the  report  of 
the  British  Attache,  the  dairy  has  been  re- 


Physical  Training — Medical  Care  195 

produced  at  military  stations  in  India.  Not 
only  have  gastro-intestinal  maladies  been  so 
much  reduced,  but  tuberculosis  and  typhoid 
fever  from  impure  milk  have  been  eliminated. 

"The  greatest  care  is  taken  with  all  food- 
stuffs. All  the  meat  is  Government  inspected. 
The  flour  is  made  into  dough  by  electric 
mixers,  so  there  is  no  sweat  of  the  brow  to 
be  eliminated.  Raw  vegetables,  such  as 
celery  and  lettuce,  are  thoroughly  washed 
before  using." 

The  farm  on  Greenbury  Point,  purchased 
in  1910,  comprising  180  acres,  contributes 
most  of  the  food  supply  for  the  dairy  herd, 
and  some  vegetables,  such  as  potatoes,  to 
the  midshipmen's  mess.  A  herd  of  hogs  is 
being  raised  there  according  to  most  ap- 
proved methods,  the  waste  from  the  mess 
supplying  their  food.  This  insures  abso- 
lutely safe  pork  and  ham  to  the  midshipmen. 
In  addition,  chickens  are  now  being  experi- 
mented with,  both  for  food  and  for  eggs. 

Doctor  McCormick  continues: 

"The  water  is  obtained  from  two  artesian 


196  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

wells  at  a  depth  of  six  hundred  feet.  It  is 
pumped  into  settling  tanks  to  rid  it  of  salts 
of  iron  and  filtered  twice  before  being  used 
for  drinking  purposes.  The  ice  required  is 
made  from  this  twice  filtered  water.  Bub- 
bling faucets  are  installed  in  Bancroft  Hall 
and  the  common  drinking  cup  has  been 
abolished. 

' '  Three  boards  composed  of  medical  officers 
and  a  civil  engineer  have  examined  and  made 
recommendations  in  regard  to  the  lighting 
system  of  Bancroft  Hall.  The  recommenda- 
tions were  carried  out  at  an  expense  of  $12,000, 
requiring  a  special  appropriation  for  the 
purpose.  This  included  special  kinds  of 
lights,  tinting  the  walls,  etc.,  the  main  object 
being  to  obtain  three-foot  candle-power  light 
on  the  study  table,  which  is  considered  the 
proper  light  for  studying  purposes. 

"Eyes  and  ears  are  the  organs  that  suffer 
most  at  the  Academy,  the  former  because 
there  is  much  close  application  in  studying 
and  drawing  by  electric  light,  which  is  a  bad 
light  as  far  as  hygiene  of  the  eyes  is  concerned ; 


Physical  Training — Medical  Care  197 

the  latter  on  account  of  climatic  conditions, 
causing  catarrhal  inflammation  of  the  air 
passages  involving  the  middle  ear.  In  order 
that  vision  and  hearing  may  not  fail  and  be 
causes  of  rejection,  many  cases  are  referred 
to  Navy  specialists.  The  wearing  of  ear 
protectors  while  firing  on  the  target  range 
is  compulsory. 

"Many  minor  details  in  the  interests  of 
the  general  health  are  carried  out.  For 
instance,  in  the  barber  shop  hair  brushes  are 
abolished,  and  combs  are  kept  in  a  weak 
solution  of  carbolic  acid.  The  shoes  worn 
by  the  midshipmen  are  the  result  of  the 
recommendations  of  two  boards,  and  an 
endeavour  is  made  to  have  them  properly 
fitted.  The  wrestling  mats,  which  are  com- 
mon sources  of  infection,  are  regularly  washed 
with  antiseptics  and  exposed  to  light. 

"All  teeth  are  required  to  be  permanently 
filled  on  entrance,  and,  in  addition,  two 
dental  surgeons  are  continually  working  to 
keep  them  sound.  A  complete  chart  is 
made  of  everyone's  teeth,  on  which  is  re- 


198  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

corded  the  condition  when  entering  and  the 
work  done  subsequently. 

"Being  on  the  lookout  for  and  excluding 
contagious  diseases  are  about  the  most  im- 
portant duties  of  the  medical  officer  at  the 
Academy.  Although  scariet  fever,  diph- 
theria, measles,  chicken-pox,  and  mumps  have 
been  prevalent  in  the  city  during  the  past 
year,  only  one  case  of  a  contagious  disease 
occurred  among  the  midshipmen,  so  this 
fruitful  source  of  damage  has  been  offset 
by  watchfulness. 

"So  it  is  seen  that  in  all  directions  nothing 
is  too  small  to  be  of  importance  in  caring 
for  and  fitting  the  raw  material  to  be  the 
finished  product  of  a  naval  officer." 


CHAPTER  X 

ATHLETICS 

"At  all  times — blow  high,  blow  low — play,  play 
the  game." — Cradock. 

For  a  long  period  after  the  founding  of 
the  Academy  athletics  did  not  exist.  To 
Vice  Admiral  David  D.  Porter  is  due  the 
credit  of  the  establishing  of  athletics  on  a 
firm  and  lasting  basis.  In  1866,  soon  after 
becoming  superintendent,  he  actively  en- 
couraged all  forms  of  athletics,  with  the 
result  that  serious  athletic  work  was  begun 
in  1867.  Class  baseball  clubs  were  formed, 
rowing  was  started,  and  a  gymnasiiun  was 
fitted  up  in  the  barbette  of  old  Fort  Severn. 

This  interest  in  athletics  improved  the 
whole  tone  of  the  institution,  and  the  volun- 
tary forms  of  sports  answered  the  needs 
199 


200  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

fairly  well  until  1890,  when,  Porter's  doctrines 
slacking  up,  it  was  again  felt  that  com- 
pulsory and  systematic  athletic  work  was 
necessary  for  the  welfare  of  the  midshipmen. 
Not  only  scholars  but  fighting  officers  were 
needed  for  the  Navy,  men  whose  nerves  and 
body  were  ready  for  use  at  their  highest 
efficiency  in  the  critical  hour.  In  that  year 
Colonel  Robert  M.  Thompson,  a  member  of 
the  class  of  1868,  aided  most  materially  the 
officers  stationed  at  the  Academy  in  the 
formation  of  the  Navy  Athletic  Association. 
Under  the  guidance  of  this  organization 
athletics  took  a  fresh  impetus,  have  pros- 
pered, and  the  enthusiasm  for  sports  has 
since  been  maintained. 

The  necessary  funds  for  the  carrying  on  of 
athletics  are  provided  by  the  Midshipmen's 
and  the  Navy  Athletic  Association,  sub- 
scriptions being  called  for  each  year  from 
midshipmen  at  the  Academy  and  from  officers 
the  world  over.  All  branches  of  athletics 
are  now  carefully  fostered  under  the  strict 
regulation   of  an    officer   of    the    Executive 


Athletics  201 

Department  specially  charged  with  this 
duty;  competitions  between  classes  and  with 
other  schools  are  arranged  so  as  to  form  a 
continuous  series  of  athletic  contests  that 
take  place  practically  every  Wednesday  and 
Saturday  afternoon  throughout  the  entire 
academic  year. 

The  regulation  of  athletics  is  the  result 
of  much  careful  thought  and  of  statistics 
based  upon  what  is  best  in  view  of  the  future 
life  of  a  naval  officer.  From  a  physical 
standpoint  the  conditions  on  board  ship 
force  a  comparatively  inactive  life,  and  there- 
fore the  overdeveloped  athlete  is  less  liable 
to  withstand  ship  life  than  is  the  man  of 
average  physique. 

Serious  inquiry  is  going  on  with  a  view 
to  ascertain  whether  by  the  abandonment 
of  intercollegiate  atheltic  contests  and  the 
greater  encouragement  of  the  interclass  sports 
it  would  not  be  possible  to  greatly  increase 
the  number  having  athletic  training  of  one 
kind  or  another.  The  question  is  naturally 
asked  how  many  midshipmen  do  come  out 


202  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

for  the  major  sports  and  intercollegiate  tests. 
The  resulting  answer  is  astonishing  as  it  lays 
bare  the  fact  that  this  present  academic  year, 
1915-1916,  there  were  452  midshipmen  in 
training  for  the  teams  that  compete  with 
other  institutions,  the  regiment  numbering 
918.  A  doubt,  therefore,  arises  as  to  whether 
a  decrease  in  such  contests  will  bring  out 
more  men  than  are  already  interested.  The 
maximum  number  out  for  healthful  contests 
is  the  goal  striven  for,  and  changes  in  methods 
must  be  gradual  whenever  any  are  decided 
upon.  The  fact  that  contests  by  Navy  teams 
with  outside  colleges  develop  the  Academy 
spirit  and  unite  the  midshipmen  as  nothing 
else  can  or  will  is  undeniable,  so  that  the 
contests  with  outside  teams  are  limited  by 
money  considerations  rather  than  by  ques- 
tions of  policy. 

Football  claims  the  first  place  in  popularity 
and  in  the  enthusiasm  it  kindles  contributing 
most  to  the  uniting  of  the  midshipmen  body. 
The  career  of  the  men  on  the  A  and  B  squads 
is    watched    closely,    they    being    the   most 


Athletics  203 

marked  men  in  the  Academy  during  the  two 
months  that  the  sport  is  practised,  months  of 
ideal  weather,  the  best  that  the  whole  year 
affords  in  Annapolis,  The  class  teams,  as 
well  as  the  Navy  team  itself,  have  their  work 
mapped  out  for  the  season.  The  "plebe" 
team  has  a  schedule  of  games  with  high 
schools.  The  contest  with  West  Point, 
held  in  New  York  City  about  Thanksgiving 
time,  furnishes  the  climax  for  this  sport. 
These  games  began  in  the  year  1890,  and  for 
four  years  they  were  played  alternately  at 
West  Point  and  Annapolis.  Then  after  an 
interruption  of  five  years  the  contests  were 
resumed  in  1899,  and  took  place,  with  the 
exception  of  one  game  at  Princeton,  either 
at  Philadelphia  or  New  York,  the  latter  city 
being  the  present  (19 16)  scene  of  the  annual 
Army  and  Navy  football  game.  The  entire 
student  body  of  both  the  Military  and  the 
Naval  Academies,  with  the  exception  of 
those  specially  restricted  because  of  repre- 
hensible conduct,  attends  these  games.  At 
the  opening  of  the  season  of  19 16  the  score 


204  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

in  games  stands:  Army  ten  victories  to  the 
Navy's  nine,  one  game  having  been  a  tie. 

The  coaching  is  under  the  direction  of  the 
officer  specially  detailed  to  supervise  the 
physical  training  of  midshipmen.  As  an 
assistant,  a  college  man  of  prominence  on 
the  gridiron  is  always  selected.  In  addition, 
a  competent  trainer  to  watch  over  the  physi- 
cal or  muscular  condition  of  the  midshipmen 
is  always  present  and  contributes  to  the 
successful  development  of  the  midshipmen 
by  his  vigilance  and  care,  removing  the  sores 
and  bruises  as  they  appear. 

As  candidates  for  the  Navy  team  and  the 
class  teams  a  large  number  of  midship- 
men are  engaged  with  all  their  might  in 
this  sport,  which  is  considered  to  contribute 
more  largely  than  any  other  to  the  develop- 
ment of  skill,  courage,  initiative,  and  sound 
judgment. 

"  You  ought  to  see  the  Navy  team 
When  they're  getting  up  steam, 
When  they've  got  the  hall. 
You  can't  stop  them  at  all.** 


Athletics  205 

Those  who  make  up  the  many  songs  and 
cheers  necessary  to  keep  the  regiment's 
enthusiasm  at  its  highest  pitch,  and  thus 
encourage  the  team,  are  as  busy  as  those 
training  and  fighting  for  a  place  in  the  line 
up.  Farragut  Field,  with  its  iron  stand  for 
the  spectators,  built  by  subscriptions  of  the 
service,  is  the  place  where  the  games  are 
held  during  the  season. 

Baseball  started  at  the  Academy  in  1867 
with  the  teams  of  the  classes,  such  teams  as 
the  "Nautical"  and  "Severn"  being  in  their 
day  quite  famous.  Class  games  and  inter- 
collegiate games  fill  the  spring  season  from 
March  25th  to  graduation,  three  games  a 
week  being  not  unusual.  These  are  well  at- 
tended by  the  regiment,  which  always  hopes 
for  a  victory  in  the  final  game  with  West  Point 
in  spite  of  the  eight  successive  victories  of 
the  Army.  The  diamond  is  worthy  of  com- 
parison with  that  of  any  major  league  club 
and  far  more  picturesquely  located.  One  is 
rewarded  for  going  by  just  enjoying  the 
prospect  at  Worden  Field  whether  the  Navy 


2o6  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

wins  or  not.  The  officer  coach  supervising 
this  sport  is  hkewise  assisted  by  a  professional 
player,  who  does  good  work  with  the  Navy 
team  in  the  two  months  at  his  disposal  for  the 
training  and  developing  of  players.  Part  of 
this  period  is  much  too  cold  for  baseball,  as  a 
result  of  which  the  season  ending  the  last 
Saturday  in  May  with  the  game  against 
West  Point  seems  very  short. 

Out  of  the  fifteen  games  that  have  been 
played  by  the  academies  of  the  sister  services 
including  the  game  of  191 6,  West  Point  has 
won  twelve.  These  games  are  staged  alter- 
nately at  West  Point  and  Annapolis,  so  that 
only  every  other  year  do  the  cadets  and  mid- 
shipmen see  the  annual  baseball  contest. 

Rowing  for  a  long  time  was  popular,  but 
because  of  the  lack  of  suitable  shells  and 
equipment,  became  nearly  a  dead  sport  until 
the  '90's  when,  mainly  through  the  efforts 
of  Naval  Cadet  Winston  Churchill,  it  was 
put  on  a  secure  basis  that  has  rendered  it  a 
successful  part  of  athletics.  Six  shells  are 
now  in  use  practically  all  the  open  months. 


:3^ 


0' 


Athletics  207 

The  year  1893  saw  the  first  Navy  eight.  The 
races  are  usually  pulled  over  the  two-mile 
course — although  for  several  years,  19 13- 
191 5,  the  length  of  course  permitted  was 
but  one  and  five  sixteenths  miles — on  the 
Severn  above  the  county  bridge,  Pennsyl- 
vania, Harvard,  Cornell,  Analostan,  and 
Syracuse  being  regularly  scheduled.  The 
crew's  outing  consists  of  a  trip  to  Philadel- 
phia to  row  in  the  American  Henley.  There, 
in  1 9 16,  the  Navy  took  second  place  in  the 
Child's  Cup  Race,  Princeton  being  first  by 
only  one  third  of  a  length.  The  other  com- 
petitors were  Columbia  and  Pennsylvania. 
The  second  crew  of  the  Academy  (1916) 
rowed  in  the  Henley  regatta,  in  which  the 
second  crews  of  all  colleges  compete. 

The  basketball  games,  held  in  the  armory 
during  the  season  extending  from  the  close 
of  football  to  nearly  the  opening  of  the  base- 
ball series,  claim  much  attention  and  are 
always  exciting  and  interesting  contests. 
The  armory  contains  four  basketball  courts, 
as  a  result  of  which  facihties  the  training  of 


2o8  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

the  Navy  and  the  class  teams  goes  on  with 
practically  no  interruptions.  As  a  general 
rule  the  rating  among  the  colleges,  of  the 
Navy  basketball  team  is  very  high,  the  season 
always  being  quite  successful.  The  Navy 
lost  but  two  games  this  year  and  even  beat 
Pennsylvania,  which  won  the  intercollegiate 
championship  of  the  East. 

The  gymnasium  and  wrestling  meets,  held 
during  the  winter  season,  reveal  the  presence 
of  many  fine  tumblers  and  wrestlers  among 
the  midshipmen.  In  the  past  four  years 
they  have  lost  but  one  gymnasium  meet  to 
their  opponents,  which  have  comprised  teams 
from  such  colleges  as  Pennsylvania,  Pitts- 
burgh, Yale,  Penn  State,  and  Princeton. 
The  gymnasium  team  never  lacks  candidates, 
the  sport  being  intensely  interesting  to  the 
participants  and  being  surpassed  by  no  other 
sport  as  a  means  of  physical  development. 
The  most  popular  of  all  the  indoor  sports 
seems  to  be  the  wrestling  in  these  gym  meets, 
and  the  Navy  has  had  for  many  years  the 
best  wrestlins:   team    in   the    East.     As  the 


Athletics  209 

Lucky  Bag  expresses  it  in  referring  to  this 
sport:  "One  scene  predominates — the  gym 
— the  mat — and  a  Navy  man  standing 
amidst  the  deHrious  cheers  of  the  multitude, 
arm  upheld  by  the  referee — Navy  wins!" 

The  results  of  the  various  fencing  meets 
with  different  universities  and  Fencers  Clubs 
prove  that  the  use  of  the  foil  and  sabre  is 
not  yet  a  forgotten  art,  and  each  year  sees 
experts  with  both  weapons  among  the  gradu- 
ates. The  "Little  Iron  Man,"  as  the  inter- 
collegiate championship  emblem  is  known, 
is  still  the  property  of  the  Navy  fencers. 
It  was  secured  April  22,  1916,  at  the  meet  in 
New  York,  on  which  occasion  the  Navy  won 
the  team  intercollegiate  championship  in 
foils,  the  individual  prize  in  sabres,  and  the 
first  place  for  novice  fencers.  Membership 
on  this  as  well  as  on  other  teams,  is  not  the 
exclusive  right  of  upper  classmen.  The 
"plebes"  are  always  welcome  in  athletics, 
and  on  this  fencing  team  was  one  "plebe" 
who  distinguished  himself  although  he  had 
had  but  one  short  academic  year  in  which 
14 


210  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

to  perfect  himself  in  a  sport  in  which  but 
little  experience  is  usual  prior  to  entering 
the  Academy. 

Another  indoor  team  that  claims  much 
popularity  is  the  swimming  team,  which 
also  competes  with  many  of  the  college  teams 
of  the  country.  The  dashes,  plunges,  and 
diving  held  in  the  clear  pool  are  always  close 
contests,  and  create  much  enthusiasm  and 
interest. 

The  fast  and  exciting  game  of  lacrosse  is 
the  most  recent  of  the  athletic  sports  adopted, 
for  it  was  not  until  1907  that  this  Indian 
running  game  was  introduced  at  Annapolis. 
Both  the  lacrosse  and  the  baseball  games  are 
played  simultaneously  on  Worden  Field 
in  the  spring  season,  and  lacrosse  claims  as 
spectators  some  ardent  baseball  fans,  coaxed 
away  from  the  ball  game  in  progress  at  the 
opposite  side  of  the  field.  Until  1915,  when 
all  forms  of  outside  competition  in  athletics 
were  dropped  by  that  college,  the  victory 
over  Carlisle,  the  Indian  college  and  the  home 
of  the  game,  was  the  one  most  eagerly  sought. 


I 


Athletics  211 

Now  the  hardest  game  in  lacrosse  is  the 
annual  one  with  Johns  Hopkins  University. 

Track  and  field  meets  take  place  on  Far- 
ragut  Field.  Medals  are  awarded  by  the 
Navy  Athletic  Association  for  the  breaking 
or  equalling  of  previous  records.  In  the 
track  and  field  events  as  in  all  others  the 
watchfulness  of  the  medical  authorities  over 
the  health  and  well-being  of  the  future  officers 
is  manifested  by  the  limitation  of  one  mile 
now  placed  upon  running  races.  In  19 13, 
the  half-mile,  mile,  and  two  mile  runs  were 
abolished,  but  in  191 6,  the  half-mile  and 
mile  run  were  restored.  The  records  made 
both  as  regards  winning  meets  and  in  estab- 
lishing standards  in  events  are  most  credit- 
able. From  five  to  six  meets  with  the  various 
college  teams  take  place  each  spring.  The 
Naval  Academy  record  in  the  lOO-yard  dash 
is  9.8  seconds,  in  the  440-yard  dash  it  is  50 
seconds,  in  the  shot  put  it  is  43  feet  7  inches, 
in  the  rurming  broad  jump  it  is  22  feet  'j^A 
inches. 

Boxing  and  soccer  football  exist  as  contests 


212  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

between  classes  only,  no  outside  competitions 
being  permitted. 

The  tennis  team  has  every  facility  for 
practice  and  renders  a  good  account  of  itself 
in  its  various  meets  with  the  teams  from 
other  colleges.  Midshipmen  will  be  found 
on  the  courts  from  sunrise  to  sunset,  when- 
ever free  from  their  duty  calls  such  as  drills, 
recitations,  and  study  hours.  The  exhibi- 
tion matches  played  at  times  by  some  of  the 
tennis  experts  have  increased  the  interest  in 
the  sport  on  the  part  of  the  team  as  well  as 
of  those  engaging  in  it  for  recreation  only. 
I  In  1 9 10  the  Academy  rifle  team  made  its 
last  trip  to  Camp  Perry  and  since  then,  with 
the  exception  of  one  contest  in  the  spring  of 
191 6  on  the  District  of  Columbia  rifle  range, 
all  matches  have  been  shot  at  the  Academy 
ranges  located  across  the  Severn  on  Little 
and  Big  Carr's  Creeks.  The  charm  of  the 
sport  is  still  great  enough  to  claim  many 
midshipmen  as  its  followers,  even  though  the 
sport  requires  the  giving  up  of  almost  all 
spring  liberties  and  precludes  the  possibility 


Athletics  213 

of  witnessing  any  of  the  baseball  games. 
A  recent  match  (May  13,  1916)  with  the 
Seventy-first  Regiment  of  the  New  York 
National  Guard  was  most  exciting.  The 
match  over,  scores  were  added  with  the 
discovery  that  each  team  had  made  3256 
points.  The  shooting  off  the  tie  was  done 
at  the  600-yard  range,  the  midshipmen  win- 
ning this  and  the  match,  543  to  542 ! 

The  bringing  out  of  athletes  among  the 
regiment  is  further  stimulated  under  the 
direction  of  the  Navy  Athletic  Association 
by  the  contest  that  continues  throughout 
the  year  for  the  Navy  Athletic  Association 
Cup,  the  company  whose  members  win  the 
most  points  in  all  types  of  athletic  contests 
during  the  year  having  its  name  engraved 
thereon;  by  the  presentation  of  a  sword  for 
general  excellence  in  athletics;  by  engraving 
upon  the  Thompson  Trophy  Cup;  the  name 
of  the  midshipman  declared  to  have  done 
the  most  for  athletics  during  the  year,  and, 
in  addition,  by  giving  individual  medals  for 
excellence  in  all  forms  of  athletics. 


214  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

The  normal  incentive  of  a  healthy  boy 
to  excel  is  thus  increased  by  the  material 
gains  in  prizes  and  medals  that  will  perpetuate 
the  memory  of  his  skill  and  strength. 


CHAPTER  XI 

RECREATION 

"Don*t  get  downhearted.     Go  ashore   and   play 
golf. " — Cradock. 

The  midshipman  finds  that  in  this  aca- 
demic routine  of  work  there  is  still  left  much 
time  for  pleasure,  and  this  time  is  sufficient 
to  enable  him  after  graduation  to  look  back 
upon  the  Academy  days  as  occasions  of 
pleasure  and  happy  memories.  The  blue 
Severn  River  with  AnnapoHs  harbour  is  a 
pleasant  watercourse  upon  which  to  sail  the 
many  available  catboats  and  knockabouts; 
on  the  September  leave,  the  larger  ves- 
sels, the  cutter  Robert  Center,  and  the  yawl 
Argo,  accommodate  parties  of  midshipmen  for 
a  week's  cruise  on  Chesapeake  Bay.  The 
knockabouts  are  popular  with  the  midship- 
215 


2i6  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

men  and  are  engaged  for  recreation  hours  as 
far  ahead  as  is  permitted.  Not  until  a  mid- 
shipman has  passed  an  examination  in  swim- 
ming, and  in  handling  boats  under  sail,  may 
he  use  these  vessels  other  than  in  drill  periods. 
The  officers  carefully  examine  all  to  the  end 
that  accidents  and  lubberly  exhibitions  may 
be  minimized.  Naturally  the  authorities 
wish  that  the  seamanship  displayed  by  the 
midshipmen,  when  taking  their  friends  out 
for  a  sail  on  Wednesdays,  Saturdays,  and 
Sundays,  shall  be  a  credit  to  the  Academy. 
Both  getting  away  from  and  securing  the 
moorings  require  skill  because  of  narrow 
waters  and  the  gusty,  variable  winds.  At- 
tempting a  landing  one  young  middy  grabbed 
his  mooring  buoy  and  refused  to  let  go  even 
though  the  boat's  headway  carried  it  beyond 
and  left  him  struggling  in  the  water,  still 
holding  to  the  buoy,  with  the  result  that  his 
two  guests  had  to  shift  for  themselves. 
Such  occurrences  damage  the  reputation  of 
the  midshipmen  as  sailors. 

One  of  the  perquisites  of  the  Midshipman 


Recreation  217 

Commander  is  the  neat  little  knockabout  J.  E. 
McDonald,  which  is  reserved  for  his  exclusive 
use.  This  boat  was  presented  to  the  Acad- 
emy for  this  purpose  by  the  sister  of  the 
late  Naval  Constructor  McDonald,  the  Mid- 
shipman Commander  in  1892.  A  signed 
illustrated  roster  of  the  midshipmen  who 
have  enjoyed  the  use  of  this  knockabout  upon 
the  river  and  harbour  is  kept  exhibited  in 
the  office  of  the  Commandant  of  Midshipmen. 

Excellence  in  sailing  is  rewarded  in  June 
Week  each  year  by  the  presentation  to  the 
best  boat  sailors  of  prizes,  given  by  Colonel 
R.  M.  Thompson,  consisting  of  binoculars  to 
the  best  and  a  monocular  to  the  second  best. 

Cross  country  walking  is  enjoyable  as  the 
country  about  Annapolis  has  many  pictu- 
resque bits  of  road,  and  many  spots  affording 
views  over  the  water  or  over  the  rolling 
country  may  be  reached  in  but  a  short  time. 
The  midshipman  wears  a  comfortable  khaki 
suit  and  leggings  for  this  sort  of  exercise. 

Horseback  riding  is  indulged  in  by  but 
few,   the  supply  of   good  horse  flesh  being 


2i8  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

somewhat  limited  as  is  also  the  pocket  money 
of  the  midshipman.  The  golf  links,  across 
the  county  road  beyond  the  marine  barracks 
and  the  hospital  grounds,  afford  a  nine-hole 
course  that  is  "sporty,"  and  one  that  affords 
fine  views  from  every  tee  and  green.  The 
midshipmen  who  take  advantage  of  these 
links  consider  that  the  periods  allowed — 
Thursdays  after  four  and  Saturday  after- 
noons— are  well  spent. 

During  the  first  two  months  of  the  aca- 
demic year  the  regiment  lives  and  breathes 
football.  The  games  held  oji  Farragut  Field 
attract  a  large  service  attendance  from  the 
fleet  and  from  the  Navy  Department.  As 
a  result  they  are  the  occasion  of  much  social 
activity  in  reunions,  and  the  talk  centres  on 
this  one  sport.  During  this  period  studies 
naturally  take  a  slump  in  the  midshipmen 
body,  and  all  look  forward  to  their  first 
break  in  the  routine  of  studies  and  drills 
which  comes  with  the  trip  to  New  York  City 
for  the  annual  game  with  West  Point. 
Much  thought  and  energy  is  directed  to  the 


BOAT  SAILING.     KNOCKABOUTS  AND  CATBOATS 


TORPEDO    BOAT 
MINE-LAYING    LAUNCH 

THE  DEWEY  BASIN 


Recreation  219 

increase  and  the  maintenance  of  the  enthu- 
siastic support  by  the  midshipmen  of  their 
football  team.  The  result  is  perfect  loyalty 
to  and  support  for  the  bruised  and  battered 
players,  who  are  too  sore  in  body  and  tired 
in  mind  by  the  end  of  the  day  to  study  lessons 
with  much  energy.  The  cheer  leader,  song 
director,  and  the  keeper  of  the  goat  are  the 
great  factors  in  maintaining  the  maximum 
spirit  in  the  midshipmen  all  the  time.  The 
cheers  and  songs  composed  for  the  occasion 
are  many.  The  song  that  has  stood  the 
longest  test  of  time  and  popularity  runs  as 
follows : 

''Stand  Navy  down  the  field 
Sail  set  to  the  sky 
We'll  never  change  our  course 
So  Army  you  steer  shy-y-y-y. 
Roll  up  the  score  Navy 
/inchors  aweigh 
Sail  Navy  down  the  field 
And  sink  the  Army 
Sink  the  Army  Grey." 

The  trip  to  New  York,  in  191 5,  was  a  most 
successful  one  when  considered  only  in  the 


220  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

light  of  the  pleasiire  accruing  to  the  regiment 
and  its  exhibition  of  discipline,  and  not  from 
the  standpoint  of  successful  football. 

As  the  major  portion  of  the  battle  fleet 
was  anchored  in  the  North  River,  the  mid- 
shipmen found  many  friends  and  in  general 
enjoyed  themselves  thoroughly,  and,  much 
to  the  credit  of  the  service,  not  a  man  mis- 
behaved by  so  much  as  even  missing  the 
return  train. 

The  close  of  the  football  season  is  followed 
by  the  opening  of  the  indoor  season  of  basket- 
ball, held  in  the  large  armory  or  Dahlgren 
Hall;  the  fencing  contests,  the  wrestHng  and 
gymnastic  meets,  held  in  the  gymnasium; 
and  the  swimming  meets,  held  in  the  large 
tank,  around  which  is  a  gallery  permitting 
the  attendance  of  a  great  many  spectators. 
Saturdays  are  crowded  with  athletics  and 
recreation. 

The  hops  now  claim  the  "fussers,"  this 
being  the  name  applied  to  those  midship- 
men who  are  fond  of  society.  The  institu- 
tion of  hops  began  early  in  the  history  of  the 


Recreation  221 

Naval  Academy,  a  large  naval  ball  being 
given  on  the  21st  of  January,  1847,  in  the 
new  mess  hall,  one  of  the  first  buildings 
erected  by  the  Navy  Department  on  the 
Fort  Severn  reservation.  One  rear  admiral 
of  the  class  of  '45  states  that  it  was  through 
the  dance  that  the  establishment  of  the 
Naval  School  first  became  known  and  re- 
cognized by  the  good  people  of  our  coimtry, 
for  the  widespread  circulation  of  the  invita- 
tions to  the  first  "Midshipmen's  Ball"  pro- 
duced a  gathering  of  the  fair  sex  from  all 
quarters.  These  dances  are  now  held  in  the 
gymnasium,  which  is  decorated  in  very  good 
taste  with  flags  and  lights.  There  is  an 
attractive  receiving  stand  ornamented  with 
palms  and  rubber  plants  and  a  band  stand 
in  which  an  excellent  band  furnishes  the 
dance  music.  The  decorations  are  altered 
to  conform  to  the  season  or  occasion,  such 
as  Hallowe'en,  New  Years,  etc.  To  be  a 
member  of  the  hop  committee  is  an  honour 
but  Hkewise  one  that  entails  considerable 
responsibility  and  work.     This  helps  to  im- 


222  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

press  upon  the  midshipmen  that  honours  and 
responsibility  are  not  empty;  distinction 
entails  additional  labour.  The  expenses  of 
the  hop  programs  and  the  refreshments,  the 
latter  usually  consisting  of  lemonade  and 
ice  cream,  are  borne  by  subscription.  These 
hops  take  place  nearly  every  Saturday  even- 
ing, except  during  Lent.  The  officers  also 
hold  a  series  of  ten  dances,  the  midshipmen 
attending  the  ones  of  the  series  that  are  held 
on  Saturdays.  Curious  slang  has  come  into 
use  relative  to  hops.  If  a  midshipman  has 
as  his  partner  a  girl  who  becomes  successful 
and  popular,  he  has  "floated  a  femme."  If 
he  escorts  to  a  hop  a  young  lady  living  in  the 
Yard,  he  is  "dragging  a  yard  engine";  if  the 
young  lady  is  a  resident  of  Annapolis  or 
"Crabtown,"  he  is  "dragging  a  crab." 

Upon  all  national  holidays  work  and  study 
and  drill  are  suspended,  with  the  exception 
of  attendance  at  mess-formation.  At  seven- 
thirty  in  the  evening,  however,  the  studies 
for  the  next  day  must  begin.  Little  leave 
is  granted  during  the  year;  only  about  forty- 


Recreation  223 

eight  hours  to  the  two  upper  classes  at  Christ- 
mas. This  short  respite  means  more  to  a 
midshipman  than  do  two  weeks  to  the  average 
collegian. 

The  fall  and  spring  afford  opportunities 
for  tennis,  and  the  twenty-three  courts  al- 
lotted the  midshipmen  are  generally  occupied 
whenever  the  weather  and  the  condition  of 
the  clay  courts  permit. 

The  midshipmen  have  many  friends  among 
the  famihes  Hving  in  the  Yard  and  in  the 
town.  Consequently  there  are  many  social 
breaks,  such  as  dinners  and  teas  and  calls 
during  the  week  ends,  for  all  who  care  for 
such  pleasures  and  the  glimpses  of  home  life. 

The  most  mournful  bugle-call  ever  in- 
vented from  the  viewpoint  of  the  midship- 
man, is  surely  the  "study  call,"  which  on 
every  Sunday  evening  at  7.30,  orders  him 
to  his  room  to  "bone";  and  thus,  with  a 
real  anticlimax,  abruptly  end  his  pleasant 
moments  of  Saturday  and  Sunday. 

The  midshipmen  have  many  activities 
outside  their  studies  and  perform  them  all 


224  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

so  well  that  the  officers  are  amazed  although 
they  themselves  have  been  through  the  same 
mill  and  have  fulfilled  the  same  requirements. 
The  weekly  paper,  The  Log,  the  publica- 
tion of  which  requires  a  large  amount  of 
work  and  late  hours,  fills  a  very  important 
place  in  academic  life  by  keeping  the  regi- 
ment in  touch  with  the  athletics,  the  studies, 
and  the  recreations  of  the  Academy,  produc- 
ing gybes  at  the  expense  of  the  various 
academic  happenings  which  serve  to  brighten 
the  downhearted.  Much  of  the  regimental 
spirit  and  the  backing  of  the  athletic  teams 
can  be  credited  to  this  paper.  Its  volume 
and  issue  are  known  as  Mark  III.,  Mod.  12, 
etc.,  nomenclature  following  that  of  guns 
and  torpedoes  and  mines.  All  classes  are 
represented  on  its  editorial  staff.  A  char- 
acteristic editorial  dated  January  i,  19 16, 
is  here  reprinted : 

"  Let's  consider  things.  We  lost  to  the  Army 
in  football  and  baseball.  We  lost  our  three  crew 
races.  In  lacrosse,  we  did  extremely  well  with 
a  green  team.     In  tennis  and  track  team  we  held 


^^ 


mi 


Recreation  225 

our  own.  In  the  indoor  sports,  our  gymnasium 
team  went  through  its  third  year  of  unbroken 
defeats,  our  wrestling  team  kept  a  clean  slate, 
and  our  swimming  team  took  every  meet  by  a 
good  margin.  And  lastly,  the  only  champion- 
ship meet  that  we  did  receive — the  Little  Iron 
Man — to  the  iminitiated,  the  fencing  champion- 
ship trophy. 

"  Are  you  satisfied?  If  you  are,  turn  in  and 
think  it  over  tomorrow.  Next  Saturday  begins 
a  new  year,  and  make  it  a  big  year.  These 
things  won't  come  by  merely  wishing  for  them. 
You've  got  to  get  out  and  get  busy.  It  is  dis- 
tinctly up  to  you." 

The  midshipman  annual.  The  Lucky  Bag, 

requires,  for  its  editing  and  management,  a 

large  and  capable  literary  staff.     It  is  such 

a  sizeable  undertaking  that  work  upon  it 

must  be  begun  during  the  second-class  year. 

The  first  classmen  in  order  to  produce  this 

annual  are  obliged  to  do  an  extraordinary 

amount  of  work  aside  from  their  studies. 

Those  who  are  responsible  for  its  publication 

have  to  give  up  many  of  the  other  pleasures 

afforded  by  athletics  and  hops.     The  book  is 

an  elaborate  record  of  the  graduating  class, 
15 


226  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

including  photographs  of  all  members  of  the 
class,  as  well  as  personal  remarks  and  char- 
acteristics that  sometimes  prove  to  be  remark- 
ably applicable  even  when  in  later  years  one 
turns  to  his  Lucky  Bag  for  reference. 

"  Where  is  our  usual  manager  of  mirth? 
What  revels  are  in  hand?     Is  there  no  play, 
To  ease  the  anguish  of  a  torturing  hour?" 

Shakespeare. 

Then  there  is  the  Masquerader  organiza- 
tion that  gives  performances  yearly  of  min- 
strels, farces,  or  operas,  the  first  production 
early  in  February,  the  second  in  June  Week. 
These  plays  are  always  well  produced,  a 
credit  to  any  institution,  especially  so  to  the 
Naval  Academy  where  practically  no  time 
can  be  filched  from  recitations  or  drills  for 
pursuits  of  this  kind.  The  dramatic  perform- 
ances were  inaugurated  by  the  very  first 
class  that  entered  the  Academy.  This  class 
used  the  old  theatre  in  Annapolis,  the  site 
of  which  is  now  occupied  by  the  Presbyterian 
Church  on  Duke  of  Gloucester  Street.     The 


Recreation  22'j 

first  play  thus  presented  to  the  pubHc  was 
Bulwer's  Lady  of  Lyons.  It  is  stated  that  it 
was  played  to  crowded  houses  for  two  nights, 
the  midshipmen  being  the  recipients  of  un- 
bounded applause. 

The  Midshipmen's  Musical  Clubs  give  a 
performance  that  cannot  be  excelled  any- 
where either  for  the  vocal  or  instrumental 
portions  of  the  program.  An  occasional  hit 
at  some  department  and  its  officers  is  given 
and  taken  in  a  harmless  way  that  both  mid- 
shipmen and  officers  enjoy. 

During  Monday  afternoons  and  on  some 
Saturday  and  Thursday  evenings  in  Lent 
the  band  plays  in  Dahlgren  Hall  as  an  accom- 
paniment to  roller-skating,  a  sport  to  which 
many  members  of  the  Nav}^  colony  as  well 
as  the  townspeople  are  devoted. 

One  entertainment,  engineered  entirely 
by  midshipmen,  that  was  very  popular  the 
past  year  and  during  the  few  years  in  which 
it  has  been  presented,  is  the  one  called 
the  Inter-Company  Gymkhana,  held  in  the 
gymnasium    on    a    Saturday    evening    near 


228  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

the  end  of  January  after  the  conclusion  of  the 
semi-annual  examinations.  The  word  seems 
to  merit  explanation  as  the  majority  of  dic- 
tionaries omit  it.  It  is  from  the  Hindustani 
gend-khana,  meaning  ball  house,  the  name 
given  to  a  racquet  court.  Thus  it  became  a 
place  of  public  resort  for  athletic  games  and 
finally  to  mean  an  athletic  sports'  display. 
The  first  known  use  of  this  word  was  by 
Major  Trotter  in  1861.  The  make-ups  for 
this  gymkhana,  which  starts  off  with  a 
grand  march,  comprise  clowns,  police,  Mutt, 
Jeff,  Happy  Hooligan,  Marcelline,  Gloomy 
Gus,  Jiggs,  bull  fighters,  toreador,  bandsmen, 
a  menagerie,  acrobats,  sabre  fighters,  wrest- 
lers, circus  performers,  flunkies,  etc.  The 
contests  consist  of  an  obstacle  race,  tug  of 
war,  rag  chewing,  push-ball,  hockey,  comic 
wrestling,  pillow  battle,  human  burden  race, 
sabre  battle,  bull  fight,  chariot  race,  a  break- 
fast formation  race,  etc.,  all  the  events  re- 
quiring some  little  athletic  skill  as  well  as 
contributing  to  the  pleasure  of  the  evening. 
This  gymkhana  apparently  the  most    spon- 


Recreation  229 

taneous  and  extemporaneous  affair  given  by 
the  regiment,  is  certainly  not  the  least  enjoy- 
able. Upon  this  occasion  of  merry-making 
mathematics  and  English  are  buried  with 
great  solemnity  but  with  much  delight  by 
the  second  class,  as  these  subjects  have  been 
completed  at  the  semi-annual  examinations. 
For  the  few  who  did  not  try  their  best  and 
failed,  with  the  penalty  of  a  re-examination 
in  May,  this  is  decidedly  not  a  joyous  occasion. 
The  details  of  this  funeral  service  are  care- 
fully planned.  A  proper  gown  and  mask  is 
furnished  the  mock  clergyman  who  reads  a 
comic  burial  service ;  a  firing  squad  composed 
of  those  w^ho  nearly  bilged,  chief  mourners, 
pall-  and  body-bearers  are  all  in  evidence,  as 
is  the  bugler  who  sounds  taps  after  the  firing 
squad  have  fired  into,  not  over — lest  the 
dread  math  and  English  might  gain  new  life 
— the  books  representing  the  corpses  of 
these  subjects. 

One  of  the  curious  Academy  customs  is 
that  of  baptizing  the  class  rings.  Second 
classmen  purchase  large  gold  seal  class  rings 


230  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

in  January,  and  gloat  over  them  longingly 
in  secret  until  entitled  to  wear  them  openly 
upon  the  completion  of  their  annual  examina- 
tion in  Navigation.  That  this  event  in 
Academic  life  be  properly  celebrated,  a  few 
first  classmen  lie  in  wait  near  the  exit  from 
the  examination  room,  set  upon  the  second 
classmen  first  to  leave  and  promptly  throw 
them  over  the  sea-wall  despite  their  struggles. 
The  dripping  second  classmen,  once  on  land 
again,  take  good  care  that  none  of  their  class- 
mates escape  the  ducking,  no  matter  how 
fast  the  latter  may  sprint  upon  leaving 
Maury  Hall  in  a  vain  attempt  to  reach 
quarters  without  the  involuntary  bath. 

Examinations  over,  the  week  of  graduation, 
called  June  Week,  is  ushered  in  with  the 
Reception  of  the  Board  of  Visitors  by  the 
regiment  on  the  forenoon  of  the  last  Monday 
in  May.  The  smooth  lawns  with  their  fresh 
green  grass  and  the  handsome  trees  in  their 
new  foliage,  together  with  the  trim-looking 
buildings  and  other  objects  refreshed  by 
the  annual  coat  of  new  paint  combine  to 


Recreation  231 

make  the  Academy  look  its  best  at  this 
season.  That  the  grounds  are  thus  unusually 
attractive  is  due  in  a  great  measiire  to  the 
presence  of  the  parents  and  the  many  friends 
of  those  about  to  graduate  as  well  as  of 
those  about  to  leave  on  the  summer  practice 
cruise.  Daily  military  dress  parades  are 
held  on  Farragut  Field,  which,  during  the 
week,  is  also  the  scene  of  the  company  com- 
petitions in  artillery  and  infantry.  At  the 
Monday's  dress  parade  the  presentation  of 
awards  for  scholarship  and  athletics  takes 
place.  Excellence  in  scholarship  on  the  part 
of  the  imdergraduates  is  denoted  by  the 
star  on  the  collars  of  their  uniforms,  and  in 
the  case  of  the  graduates  by  the  following 
prizes,  awarded  at  this  time  and  in  this 
public  manner.  The  awards  consist  of  a 
sword  and  cup  for  Ordnance,  a  cup  for  Sea- 
manship and  International  Law,  a  sextant 
for  Navigation,  and  medals  for  expert  rifle 
and  pistol  shots.  The  awards  for  athletics 
were  enumerated  in  the  preceding  chapter. 
Much   interest   and   rivalry   exist   in   the 


22,2  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

various  contests  that  compose  the  competi- 
tion for  the  Regimental  Flag,  which  takes 
place  at  the  close  of  each  academic  year. 
There  are  contests  in  infantry  and  artillery 
drill,  seamanship,  small-arm  target  practice, 
sailing  and  rowing  races;  a  stated  number  of 
points  are  assigned  for  each  contest.  The 
infantry  and  artillery  drills  for  the  assign- 
ment of  points  to  the  companies  are  held  on 
two  forenoons  in  June  Week.  The  work  of 
the  companies  is  judged  by  three  officers, 
the  movements  required  consisting  of  both 
battalion  and  company  movements.  The 
battalion  is  exercised  in  close  order  and  then 
goes  through  the  function  of  dress  parade, 
after  which  company  exercises  at  manual 
of  arms,  extended  order  and  street  riot  drills 
take  place.  Points  are  added  up,  and  on 
Thursday  of  June  Week  the  winning  com- 
pany marches  to  the  front  and  centre,  and  the 
young  lady  chosen  by  the  company  com- 
mander to  present  the  flag  is  escorted  close 
to  its  line  by  the  Superintendent  of  the  Aca- 
demy, the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  often  being 


Recreation  233 

present,  and  little  speeches  are  made  while 
the  colours  are  presented.  The  regiment 
cheers  the  winning  company  in  the  pictur- 
esque manner  of  seamen  that  inherit  the  old 
custom  of  "cheer  ship,"  and  the  fortunate 
company  cheers  the  young  lady,  after  which 
the  regulation  dress  parade  is  resumed. 

The  Masqueraders  give  two  evening  per- 
formances during  the  week.  The  play  of 
19 16  was  Christopher,  Jr.  The  garden  party 
given  by  the  Superintendent  to  the  graduat- 
ing class,  takes  place  in  the  grounds  of  his 
large  and  well-kept  garden.  The  many 
coloured  lights  and  decorations  as  well  as 
the  dresses  and  uniforms  make  this  func- 
tion a  very  attractive  one.  The  german  given 
by  the  first  class  is  held  in  the  gymnasium, 
which  is  converted  into  a  fine  dance  hall 
for  the  occasion.  A  supper  is  served  in  the 
empty  swimming  pool,  altered  to  resemble  a 
sunken  Italian  garden.  Informal  hops  also 
take  place  in  Memorial  Hall,  and  thus  one 
cannot  justly  complain  of  the  lack  of  em- 
ployment or   entertainment   provided  after 


234  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

the  completion  of  the  examinations.  The 
June  Ball  takes  place  on  Friday  evening, 
graduation  exercises  having  occupied  the 
morning,  and,  at  this  time,  the  president  of 
the  new  first  class  receives  with  the  wife  of 
the  Superintendent. 

The  morning  of  the  next  day,  Saturday, 
is  spent  by  the  new  first,  second,  and  third 
classmen  in  carrying  their  belongings  in 
white  clothes  bags  from  the  large  bare  rooms 
of  Bancroft  Hall  to  the  tug  Standish  and  the 
motor  launches  of  the  ships  of  the  practice 
squadron.  After  the  noon  meal,  the  last  to 
be  taken  in  Bancroft  Hall  by  them  for  some 
four  months,  the  midshipmen  go  aboard  these 
craft  and  are  transported  to  the  Roads, 
there  to  board  the  waiting  grey  battleships 
for  the  three  months'  summer  cruise  involv- 
ing work  amid  new  scenes,  life  in  cramped 
quarters,  sleep  in  hammocks  slung  on  the 
none  too  airy  decks,  and  the  acquisition  of 
the  much-advertised  accomplishment  known 
as  the  sea  habit.  At  the  conclusion  of  this 
cruise,  the  thirtieth  of  August,  all  are  given 


Recreation  235 

leave  of  absence  for  the  entire  month  of 
September.  On  the  thirtieth  of  that  month 
at  noon  they  report  again  at  the  Academy. 

For  the  use  of  those  midshipmen  who  Hve 
great  distances  from  AnnapoUs  or  for  any 
other  reason  cannot  afford  to  take  this  leave, 
all  the  various  facilities  of  the  Academy  for 
athletic  sport  and  recreation  are  maintained 
open  and  available. 

A  leave  spent  at  the  Academy  with  quarters 
in  Bancroft  Hall,  and  opportunities  for  en- 
joying the  boating,  bathing,  tennis,  and  golf 
provided  in  such  large  measure  and  at  no 
expense  to  the  midshipman,  will  be  found 
thoroughly  pleasant  and  will  pass  all  too 
quickly.  During  the  days  of  inclement 
weather  the  large  library  of  Mahan  Hall  is 
open  for  the  midshipman's  use,  wherein  he 
may  find  plenty  of  light  as  well  as  the  heavier 
professional  literature.  The  latter  type  pre- 
dominates and  comprises  well-chosen  books 
on  every  part  of  a  naval  officer's  profession. 
This  Hbrary  is  always  accessible  to  the  mid- 
shipman and  is  used   as  much  as  his  time 


236  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

allows.  The  midshipman  remaining  in  Anna- 
polis may  also  spend  a  portion  of  his  time 
in  the  wood- working  shop,  constructing  any 
appliance  that  he  may  fancy.  Aeroplanes, 
gliders,  hulls  of  vessels,  and  the  like,  have 
thus  been  constructed.  The  Naval  Academy, 
it  is  thus  evident,  offers  as  much  in  the  way 
of  recreation  as  it  does  in  the  way  of  study. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE   PRACTICE   CRUISES 

*'The  best  protection  against  an  enemy's  fire,  is 
a  well-directed  fire  from  your  own  guns.'' — 
Farragut 

Of  late  years  the  practice  cniises  have 
been  made  in  three  of  the  second-line  battle- 
ships, each  manned  with  a  small  enlisted 
crew  and  officered  by  the  staff  of  the  Academy. 
These  three  ships  form  the  "Naval  Academy 
Practice  Squadron"  under  the  command  of 
the  Superintendent.  The  Commandant  of 
Midshipmen  remains  at  the  Academy  and 
acts  as  Superintendent,  supervising  the  car- 
rying out  of  the  regular  course  of  instruction 
and  drills  given  the  fourth  class,  as  recounted 
in   a  previous   chapter.     These  vessels  fall 

short  of  being  the  means  of  imparting  true 
237 


238  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

seaman-like  qualities  and  physical  nealth. 
The  latter  defect  is  recognized  and  taken 
care  of  in  the  adoption  of  the  system  of 
compulsory  physical  training  at  the  Academy, 
but  the  former  remains  uncorrected  and  the 
truth  of  the  following  statement  becomes 
each  year  more  evident : 

"  Sailing  ships  have  been  the  recognized  train- 
ing school.  The  length  of  their  voyages  at  sea 
compared  with  those  of  steamers,  and  the 
character  of  the  work  on  board,  give  greater 
opportunity  for  the  instruction  of  the  sailor. 
Observation  is  sharpened,  energy,  endurance, 
and  resource  in  times  of  emergency  are  all  stim- 
ulated and  strengthened." — Lord  Brassey. 

For  even  in  these  modern  days  of  huge, 
fast  battle  cruisers  and  of  small,  speedy 
motor  craft,  there  yet  remains  a  plenty  of 
places  in  which  the  seamanship  that  was 
taught  by  the  hard  life  of  the  sailing  craft 
is  an  absolute  essential.  Those  who  are 
working  in  the  craft  that  compose  the 
^'fringes"  of  the  great  British  fleet  in  this 


The  Practice  Cruises  239 

war,  1 9 14-19 1 6,  can  amply  testify  to  this. 
The  gunboats,  mine  layers,  and  destroyers  of 
our  own  Navy  require  the  ability  of  sailors 
as  well  as  of  seamen  for  the  performance 
of  daily  duties. 

The  commencement  and  elaboration  of 
the  system  of  practice  cruises  that  have  been 
so  beneficial  to  the  course  of  training  may 
justly  be  credited  to  Lieutenant  T.  T.  Craven, 
who  for  eight  years,  1 850-1 855  and  1858- 
1860,  was  Commandant  of  Midshipmen. 
For  a  short  time  during  the  first  Summer 
practice  cruise,  1851,  the  steamer  John  Han- 
cock commanded  by  Lieutenant  Craven,  was 
used  within  the  confines  of  Chesapeake  Bay. 
The  completing  cruise  of  that  summer  was 
made  in  the  sloop-of-war  Preble  off  the  coast 
of  Maine.  Since  that  time  cruises  have  been 
undertaken  every  year  with  the  exception  of 
the  year  1861,  when  the  Academy  was  in 
the  confused  state  attending  its  removal  to 
Newport.  The  practice  cruises  during  the 
Civil  War  were  actual  war-time  cruises  as 
the  vessels  were  held  "  in  the  best  possible 


240  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

condition  for  action."  In  1862,  the  John 
Adams  and  Marion  searched  for  Confederate 
privateers.  In  1863,  the  Macedonian  pro- 
ceeded to  Plymouth,  England,  thence  to  the 
Bay  of  Biscay,  and  leaving  Funchal,  en  route 
home,  because  of  the  uncertainty  of  the  where- 
abouts of  the  Confederate  privateer  .4 /a5awa, 
the  ship  was  disgmsed  so  well  as  to  be  taken 
on  two  occasions  by  those  well  skilled  in  such 
matters  as  anything  but  an  American;  the 
Marion  searched  for  the  Confederate  priva- 
teer Tacony  along  the  coast;  and  the  America 
kept  watch  on  the  approaches  to  Long  Island 
Sound. 

In  1864,  the  year  that  marks  the  establish- 
ment of  the  first  Naval  Academy  Practice 
Squadron,  the  Macedonian,  Marion,  Marble- 
head,  and  America  searched  for  the  Confeder- 
ate privateer  Florida  off  the  Nantucket  South 
Shoals  and  the  North  Atlantic  coast. 

Among  the  vessels  used  at  various  times 
were  the  Plymouth,  Savannah,  and  Dale, 
while  the  Constitution  as  a  station  ship  at  the 
Academy  from  i860  to  1871  was  long  asso- 


The  Practice  Cruises         241 

dated  with  the  training  of  midshipmen  in 
sea-going  habits.  The  vessel  that  has  really 
done  the  most  service  as  a  summer  practice 
cruise  ship  is  the  famous  Constellation,  which 
first  commissioned  in  1798  for  active  service 
in  the  French  War  and  rebuilt  from  1844  to 
1855,  after  an  extremely  busy  and  useful 
career  as  a  man-of-war,  came  to  the  Naval 
Academy  and  took  the  midshipmen  on  every 
Summer  cruise  from  that  of  187 1  to  that 
of  the  summer  of  1893.  Since  her  passing, 
many  different  vessels  have  been  used,  several 
vessels  being  required  after  the  Academy 
was  increased  in  size  by  the  act  of  July,  1902. 
As  a  result  of  this  enlargement,  cruises  are 
now  made  in  a  squadron,  thus  reverting  to  a 
precedent  set  in  the  summer  of  1864.  The 
last  time  in  which  but  a  single  vessel,  the 
Monongahela,  made  the  cruise,  was  the  sum- 
mer of  1900.  As  sail  power  died  out,  the 
need  for  steam  vessels  for  practice  ships  was 
considered  to  exist,  and  the  small  gunboat 
Bancroft,  now  the  coast  guard  schoolship 
Itasca,  was  built.     In  July,  1894,  it  took  the 


242  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

second  class  midshipmen  to  sea,  the  two 
other  classes  then  being  at  sea  upon  the 
Monongahela.  This  inaugurated  a  change  in 
the  routine  of  the  Naval  Academy.  Up  to 
that  summer  the  second  classmen  had  always 
spent  their  whole  summer  at  the  Academy 
working  in  the  machine  shops.  That  sum- 
mer term  of  machine-shop  work  has  never 
been  restored  in  the  curriculum  of  the  Acad- 
emy. Strange  to  relate,  almost  as  soon 
as  a  steam  vessel  was  decided  upon,  a 
new  sailing  vessel  was  built,  this  modern 
one  being  of  steel  with  exceptionally  large  and 
heavy  spars,  for  use  on  the  practice  cruises. 
This  was  the  Chesapeake,  later  renamed  the 
Severn,  which  vessel  with  the  Newport  was 
first  used  during  the  summer  of  1900. 

The  only  change  in  the  method  of  practice 
cruises  came  with  the  experiment  in  1912  and 
19137  when  the  midshipmen  of  the  two  upper 
classes,  divided  into  squads  of  twenty-seven 
or  thereabouts,  were  placed  upon  battle- 
ships of  the  Atlantic  Fleet,  these  classes 
being   distributed   thus  among  fourteen   to 


THE  U.  S.  S.  MISSOURI  IX  THE  CULEBRA  CUT  OF  THE  PANAMA  CANAL. 

JULY  i6,   191S 


AT  SEA  IN  FORMATION 


The  Practice  Cruises         243 

seventeen  vessels  of  that  fleet.  The  third 
classmen  in  19 12,  went  by  themselves  on  the 
Massachusetts  for  a  coastwise  cruise,  and  again, 
with  sixteen  first  classmen  as  their  leaders, 
on  the  Illinois  in  19 13  for  a  foreign  cruise 
that  included  Antwerp,  Vigo,  Cadiz,  Gibral- 
tar, and  Funchal.  This  method  did  not 
give  the  good  results  anticipated  and  was 
wisely  abandoned  before  very  extensive 
harm  to  the  education  and  training  of  the 
midshipmen  had  been  done. 

The  Naval  Academy  Practice  Squadron 
as  such  has  thus  continued  its  beneficial 
influence  upon  the  formation  of  the  char- 
acter and  training  of  the  Navy's  line  officers 
since  1903,  with  the  exception  only  of  two 
years,  19 12  and  191 3.  For  the  summer  of 
191 6  the  same  vessels  that  made  the  cruise 
in  191 5  through  the  Panama  Canal  and  to 
the  Expositions  at  San  Francisco  and  San 
Diego  are  to  be  used,  namely,  the  battleships 
Missouri,  Ohio,  and  Wisco7isin.  These  three 
represent  ships  of  about  the  same  era,  the 
best  when  built — 1901-1903 — but  now  rele- 


244  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

gated  to  a  second-line  place  in  the  fleet  and 
habitually  kept  in  reserve,  none  of  the  three 
having  been  regularly  in  the  active  battle 
fleet  since  1912.  The  normal  displacement  of 
the  first  two  vessels  is  12,500  tons,  of  the 
latter  11,552  tons.  The  first  two  are  388 
feet  long,  72  feet  2]A  inches  beam,  drawing 
23  feet  II  inches  of  water,  speed  18.15  knots, 
with  batteries  of  four  12 ''-40  guns,  sixteen 
6"-50  guns,  six  3^-50  guns,  and  two  18" 
submerged  tubes.  The  water-line  belt  of 
armour  is  11  inches,  the  turrets  12  inches. 
The  Wisconsin  is  but  little  different,  although 
of  a  little  older  type  having  been  com- 
missioned two  years  ten  months  before  the 
others.  Her  battery  consists  of  four  l3''-35 
guns,  fourteen  6^^-40  guns,  and  four  3^-50 
guns  with  armour  belt  of  i6>^  inches,  turrets 
of  15  inches. 

The  ships  are  sufficiently  modern  to  give 
the  midshipmen  a  correct  impression  of  the 
complicated  mechanism  of  a  modern  battle- 
ship, how  a  ship  is  organized  and  administered, 
as  well  as  to  teach  them  seamanship,  naviga- 


The  Practice  Cruises  245 

tion,  gunnery,  marine  and  electrical  engineer- 
ing. The  midshipmen  classes  are  divided, 
one  third  of  the  members  going  on  board 
each  vessel,  making  a  total  on  each  vessel 
of  about  220.  Aboard  ship  the  first  classmen 
immediately  begin  as  understudies  of  the 
commissioned  officers,  and  all  classes  take 
up  the  general  turret  and  gun  division  duties 
with  seaman  lookouts  and  details  in  watch 
standing  and  in  boats,  together  with  duties 
in  the  engine  room,  fire  rooms,  dynamo 
rooms,  and  the  radio  operating. 

Prior  to  leaving  Bancroft  Hall  the  mid- 
shipman has  found  on  the  bulletin  board 
his  watch  number,  and  has  been  given  a 
pamphlet  of  directions  as  to  what  to  do  im- 
mediately upon  reporting  aboard  his  ship. 
The  directions  include  his  locker  number, 
its  location,  his  mess,  where  to  stow  his 
clothes-bag  and  dress-suit  case,  his  assign- 
ment to  a  division  and  his  first  week's  detail 
for  the  performance  of  his  part  of  the  life 
of  the  battleships,  and,  in  general,  the  regu- 
lations and  routine  of  the  vessel.     The  classes 


246  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

are  divided  equally  into  four  divisions,  three 
for  deck  duty  and  one  for  engine-room  duty. 
One  fourth  of  the  time  of  the  cruise  is  thus 
spent  in  the  engine  room,  the  divisions  tak- 
ing this  duty  in  rotation. 

In  the  case  of  the  upper  classman  who  is 
in  a  similar  relation  to  the  "youngster" 
as  were  the  "oldsters"  of  the  early  Academy 
days,  life  on  board  the  ship  soon  settles  down 
to  a  routine  to  which  he  quickly  accustoms 
himself  by  virtue  of  his  previous  practice 
cruise  or  cruises.  To  the  new  "youngster," 
however,  the  daily  order  of  things  is  decidedly 
novel  and  to  become  acquainted  with  it  is 
not  easy.  Then  too  the  latter  is  filled  with 
forebodings  as  to  how  he  will  stand  the  sea, 
will  the  mat  de  mer  be  too  much  for  him 
or  not?  With  drills,  meals,  night  watches, 
day's  routine,  and  studies  he  is  kept  busy. 
Not  the  least  of  his  troubles  is  learning  to 
keep  himself  and  his  clothes  in  cleanliness 
and  good  trim  in  the  face  of  many  difficulties. 
This  ability  is  one  of  the  things  that  a  marine 
acquires  tending  to  make  him  more  adapt- 


SCRUBBING  DECKS  AND  AIRING   BEDDING 


RANGE-FINDER    DRILL 

LIFE  ON  THE  PRACTICE  CRUISE 


The  Practice  Cruises         247 

able  to  peculiar  conditions  or  surroundings 
than  is  the  ordinary  soldier.  Scrubbing 
clothes  with  a  "Idyi"  and  salt  water  soap 
upon  a  wet  forecastle  is  not  the  easiest  of  tasks. 
Then  to  get  a  restful  sleep  of  a  night  in  a 
hammock,  when  that  night,  as  a  rule,  is  com- 
posed of  not  more  than  seven  hours,  broken 
by  a  four-hour  watch  of  some  sort,  is  not  as 
easy  as  it  might  be. 

The  keeping  of  his  bedding  dry,  aired, 
and  clean  is  taught  by  inspections  and  by 
the  airing  of  bedding;  that  is  bringing  ham- 
mocks on  deck,  opening  out  blankets,  mat- 
tress-covers and  mattresses  and  throwing  the 
whole  across  the  ridge-ropes  and  life-lines 
to  dry  in  the  wind  and  sun.  This  is  invari- 
ably done  once  or  twice  a  week  as  the  weather 
may  permit. 

Rainy  nights  on  lookout  with  the  salt 
spray  everywhere,  the  ship  plunging  into 
the  dark  seas  that  tumble  over  the  forecastle, 
then  rising  again  with  the  water  pouring 
from  her  sides,  surely  give  the  lonely  and 
wet  midshipman  a  feeling  of  respect  for  the 


248  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

ocean  and  one  of  responsibility  in  his  profes- 
sion. Lucky  it  is  for  him  that  the  salt  spray 
tumbling  aboard  does  not  freeze  and  that 
the  wind  is  not  so  cold  that  it  cuts  like  a 
knife.  These  things  are  reserved  for  the 
future.  The  midshipman  on  lookout  during 
a  night  of  dirty  weather,  when  sea- sick  and 
wet  to  the  skin,  perhaps  envies  his  West 
Point  comrade,  who  at  this  time  is  enjoying 
the  summer  camp  with  its  many  social 
attractions,  where  one  of  the  main  objects 
in  cadet  life  is  to  get  into  a  pair  of  highly 
starched  white  duck  trousers  without  creas- 
ing them.  However,  if  he  really  hkes  the 
sea,  he  will  agree  with  the  old  sailor  who 
describes  his  feelings  thus : 

"i4  strong  nor^ wester' s  blowing,  Bill! 
Hark!  don't  ye  hear  it  roar  now? 
Lord  help  'em,  how  I  pities  them 

Unhappy  Jolks  on  shore  now!" — Pitt. 

In  the  morning  when  he  is  dry,  and  the 
ship  is  steaming  through  blue  waters,  the 
sun  shining  upon  all,  his  spirits  rise,  so  that 


.f   i 


iVMI 


THE     BRIDGE 


SHOOTING    THE    SUN    IN    THE    EARLY    MORNING 

LIFE  OX  THE  PRACTICE  CRUISE 


The  Practice  Cruises         249 

now  he  feels  proud  of  his  profession,  glad  to 
be  upon  his  powerful  battleship  that  is  built 
as  a  part  of  the  fleet  that  must  command  the 
sea  in  war,  happy  that  he  is  acquiring  the 
sea  habit,  and  quite  ready  to  sing: 

"/'w  on  the  sea!     I'm  on  the  seal 
I  am  where  I  would  ever  he. 
With  the  blue  above  and  the  blue  below, 
And  silence  wheresoever  I  go." 

Proctor. 

Some  romance  of  the  sea  still  attaches 
to  the  grey  battleship,  though  it  is  very 
slight  as  compared  to  that  given  by  cruises  in 
sailing  vessels  where  one  really  learns  to  know 
the  sea  and  its  Hfe,  and  feels  the  charm  that  is 
in  all  its  moods  from  the  wonderful  moonlight 
nights  in  a  passage  in  the  "trades,"  to  the  dark 
and  stormy  ones  of  the  "roaring  forties." 

"^  wet  sheet  and  a  flowing  sea, 
A  wind  that  follows  fast, 
And  fills  the  white  and  rustling  sail, 
And  bends  the  gallant  mast." 

Cunningham. 

As  Rear  Admiral  Luce  has  expressed  it: 


250  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

"  Steamers  produce  seamen,  it  is  true — men 
who  acquire  the  sea  habit — but  not  sailors  in 
the  strict  sense  of  the  word,  men  who  do  not 
only  have  the  sea  habit  but  the  well-known 
characteristics  of  the  sailor,  his  skill  in  meeting 
all  the  vicissitudes  of  life  at  sea,  his  contempt 
for  danger,  his  self-reliance  under  difficulties, 
his  adaptability  to  all  sorts  and  conditions  of 
circumstances.  Men  seasoned  in  that  school 
soon  adapt  themselves  to  man-of-war  life." 

The  routine  to  which  the  midshipman  was 
subject  during  his  "plebe"  summer  and 
his  four  academic  years  having  been  given, 
the  shipboard  routine  deserves  specification. 
Underway  at  sea  the  day  begins  at  fifteen 
minutes  before  midnight  with  the  long  shrill 
whistle  of  the  pipes  of  the  boatswain's  mates 
and  their  long  drawling  cry  intended  to  rouse 
the  sleepers,  "All  the  starboard  watch"; 
followed  in  ten  minutes  by  "Relieve  the 
wheel  and  lookouts."  At  midnight  the 
watch  is  mustered,  and  there  are  to  be  found 
at  the  various  stations  alert  midshipmen, 
intent  upon  their  duty  no  matter  what  the 


The  Practice  Cruises         251 

weather  and  despite  their  recent  rude  awak- 
ening from  the  joys  of  sleep  in  a  hammock. 
Looking  at  these  posts,  there  will  be  found 
first  classmen  as  the  officers  of  the  deck,  the 
junior  officers  of  the  deck,  the  petty  officers 
of  the  watch,  the  quartermaster,  and  the 
coxswain  of  the  Hfeboat;  while  below  in  the 
radio  room  receiving  and  sending  messages 
is  yet  another  first  classman;  second  class- 
men on  the  bridge  as  signalman,  at  the  wheel 
as  steersman,  on  the  lower  decks  as  corporal 
of  the  guard ;  and  third  classmen  at  the  wings 
of  the  bridge  as  lookouts,  by  the  life  buoys, 
and  as  orderly  to  the  captain.  After  the 
watch  is  mustered,  the  men  composing  it 
will  spend  the  time  until  four  grouped  in 
certain  parts  of  the  ship  and  within  easy  call, 
the  lookouts  and  details  as  given  above  being 
relieved  at  two  a.m. 

A  new  watch  comes  on  similarly  at  four 
A.M.  This  watch  "turns  to"  at  five  A.M., 
and  after  coffee  washes  down  the  deck  and 
scrubs  paintwork.  At  sunrise  the  running 
lights  are  turned  off,   the   speed  cones  are 


252  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

yardarmed,  the  breakdown  flag  run  up,  the 
bridge  lookouts  called  in,  and  a  new  watch 
of  midshipmen,  the  steering  engine-room 
watch,  is  set.  Then  at  7  a.m.,  or  six  bells, 
"all  hammocks"  is  called,  which  means  that 
within  ten  minutes  every  hammock  must 
be  lashed  and  stowed  away  in  its  netting. 
Then  takes  place  a  scramble  for  a  hasty 
toilet  under  considerable  difficulty,  due  to  the 
necessary  inconveniences  of  ship  life.  Break- 
fast comes  at  7.30.  All  meals  are  served 
exactly  as  they  are  to  enlisted  men  of  the 
battleships,  being  hearty  and  strengthgiving, 
though  plain. 

Before  the  breakfast  and  up  to  nine  the 
first  classmen  will  be  busy  "shooting  the 
sun,"  and  scurrying  about  for  their  C  minus 
W's;^  and  the  other  data  necessary  to  work 
out  their  sights,  the  rough  log  being  consulted 
and  the  almanac  searched. 

Quarters  for  muster  and  inspection  at 
9.15  A.M.,  is  followed  by  physical  drill,  accord- 
ing to  the  Swedish  system  of  calisthenics. 

'  Chronometer  time  minus  watch  time. 


SCRUBBING  CLOTHES  AFTER  COALING  COALING  SHIP 

LANDIXG  PARTY  LEAVING  FOR  A  SHORE  PARADE.  U.  S.  S.   WISCONSIN 


The  Practice  Cruises  253 

Drill  at  the  battle  stations  follows  and  all 
instruments  used  in  connection  with  the 
battery  are  tested  out  under  power.  The 
midshipmen  here  acquire  the  rudiments  of 
plotting  and  tracking  a  possible  enemy,  how 
to  determine  ranges,  and  how  to  control 
the  sight-setting  and  pointing  of  the  bat- 
tery to  the  end  that  no  shots  will  miss  their 
target. 

The  midshipmen  engineer  division  daily 
spends  from  8.15  to  11. 15  a.m.  and  from  1.15 
to  4  P.M.  at  various  instruction  details  that 
include  the  important  auxiliary  machinery 
as  well  as  the  propelling  installation  of  the 
battleship,  and  the  electrical  plant  with  its 
multitudinous  appliances  and  uses  in  every 
compartment  of  the  vessel.  The  fire  room  is 
given  as  close  attention  as  is  the  engine  room. 

The  deck  divisions  receive  painstaking 
drill  in  loading  and  pointing  the  guns  of  bat- 
tery. When  expertness  in  these  two  duties  is 
acquired,  speed  is  taught.  The  sight-setters 
find  their  duty  by  no  means  so  simple  as  they 
had  supposed.     The  range-finder  crews  are 


254  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

drilled  constantly.  The  fire-control  party, 
upon  which  the  whole  success  of  the  target 
practice  that  is  usually  held  at  the  end  of  the 
cruise  may  depend,  works  persistently  at  its 
somewhat  tame  but  exacting  duties. 

Shortly  before  noon  the  first  classmen  are 
again  in  evidence  on  deck  in  a  struggle  for 
the  sights  of  the  sun  that  are  necessary  in 
their  navigation  work  and  then  at  noon  all 
take  dinner.  The  morning  instruction  period 
has  continued  until  11.15,  and  that  of  the 
afternoon  will  continue  from  1.15  to  4. 

On  deck  the  midshipmen  signalmen  get 
constant  exercise  in  all  kinds  of  flag  and 
semaphore  signalling.  The  midshipmen  offi- 
cers of  the  deck  are  busy  always  with  the 
stadimeter  and,  in  the  endeavour  to  main- 
tain proper  distance  from  the  next  ship  ahead, 
sometimes  are  decidedly  too  busy  with  the 
engine  telegraphs — but  then  this  is  what  the 
cruise  is  for,  to  learn  by  experience.  The 
midshipmen  must  carry  out  the  routine  of 
the  ship  under  the  watchful  eye  of  their 
tutor,  the  commissioned  officer  of  the  watch, 


The  Practice  Cruises         255 

who  is  actually  responsible  for  all  and  is 
always  at  hand  to  assist  the  midshipmen 
in  surmounting  the  difficulties  that  come  to 
them  in  handling  the  ship  or  the  men. 

The  night  watch  standing  is  reduced  to  a 
minimum  in  order  that  the  midshipmen  may 
not  be  too  tired  to  absorb  the  instruction 
and  to  study  the  lessons  of  the  day.  As  these 
lessons  take  place  morning  and  afternoon, 
there  is  not  much  time  during  the  day  for 
sleeping  or  "caulking  off."  After  four  in  the 
afternoon  an  hour  is  generally  consumed  in 
the  scrubbing  of  clothes. 

The  cruises  are  divided  as  nearly  as  may 
be  to  allow  one  half  the  time  under  way  at  sea 
and  the  other  half  at  anchor  in  port.  When 
at  anchor  the  routine  varies  considerably 
with  the  omission  of  the  large  number  of 
duties  known  as  the  sea  details.  The  duty  of 
the  ship  is  assumed  by  one  division  at  a  time 
for  a  period  of  twenty-four  hours.  This 
arrangement  requires  the  presence  on  board 
of  one  quarter  of  the  midshipmen  at  all 
times. 


256  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

One  important  but  most  disagreeable  task 
falls  to  the  lot  of  the  midshipmen  soon  after 
the  arrival  of  their  squadron  in  port.  This 
is  the  filling  of  the  ship's  bunkers  with  coal, 
— a  most  necessary  but  difficult,  laborious, 
and  unspeakably  dirty  occupation.  In  coal- 
ing speed  records  are  striven  for  between  the 
ships  and  between  the  divisions  on  the  ships, 
which  practice,  by  imparting  an  interest  in 
the  job,  hastens  the  completion  of  the  coaling 
decidedly.  Then  comes  the  cleaning  of  the 
ship  and  the  scrubbing  of  one's  clothes. 
Coal  dust  mixed  with  water  and  sand  are 
everywhere  for  a  space  of  about  four  hours, 
after  which  the  ship  from  an  apparently 
ineradicable  state  of  confusion  and  dirt 
emerges  as  orderly  and  as  spotless  as  the 
Navy's  men-o'-war  habitually  are. 

On  shore  the  midshipmen  find  plenty  to 
amuse  and  interest,  be  the  port  what  it  may. 
If  there  is  no  sociable  life  available,  the  base- 
ball teams  will  organize  and  play  ashore, 
and  the  race  boat's  crews  will  get  down  to 
real  hard  work  in  the  effort  to  win  the  cup 


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The  Practice  Cruises  257 

that  is  competed  for  annually  by  the  mid- 
shipmen from  the  three  ships.  This  cup  is 
called  the  Lysistrata  Cup,  having  been  pre- 
sented by  Mr.  James  Gordon  Bennett,  the 
owner  of  the  steam  yacht  of  that  name. 
In  191 5,  the  race  for  this  cup  took  place  in 
the  harbour  of  San  Diego  and  was  won  by 
the  U.  S.  S.  Wisconsin.  Constant  prepara- 
tion for  target  practice  is  carried  on,  and  the 
regulation  requirements  of  the  target  practice 
office  of  the  Department  are  followed,  with 
the  result  that  a  creditable  showing  is  gen- 
erally made  in  the  practice  that  takes  place 
in  the  last  two  weeks  of  the  cruise. 

The  midshipman  spends  the  latter  part 
of  his  summer  cruise  in  planning  for  that 
one  month's  leave  in  which  he  must  have 
enough  unhampered  freedom  and  pleasure  to 
last  him  through  the  next  academic  year. 
The  vessels  generally  land  the  midshipmen 
in  Annapolis  during  the  last  week  in  August, 
which  time  seems  to  approach  more  and  yet 
more  slowly  as  the  cruise  draws  to  an  end. 

Thus  the  midshipman  of  the  present  has 

17 


258  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

none  of  the  school  of  the  masts  and  sails — • 
save  the  small  boat  handling ;  yet  we  believe 
that  he  will  prove  as  capable  as  any  of  the 
country's  former  blue-water  sailors  when  the 
time  comes  for  the  proof.  As  Rear  Admiral 
Cradock  expressed  it:  "The  main  sheet, 
though  in  different  form,  still  drives  the 
nation's  ships  to  windward." 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE   POSTGRADUATE 

''Knowledge  is  more  than  equivalent  to  force." — 
Johnson. 

Postgraduate  work  may  be  stated  to 
have  been  begun  through  the  energy  and 
perseverance  of  one  graduate,  Cadet  Engi- 
neer F.  T.  Bowles,  who,  in  1881,  after  many 
discouragements,  obtained  permission  for 
himself  and  a  classmate,  Richard  Gatewood, 
to  take  a  course  in  naval  architecture  at  the 
Royal  Naval  College  at  Greenwich,  Eng- 
land. These  officers  were  nominally  attached 
to  the  Trenton,  but  were  given  indefinite 
leave  therefrom.  Their  course  consumed  two 
years,  at  the  expiration  of  which  period  they 
were  appointed  assistant  naval  constructors 

and,  as  is  the  way  of  the  world,  they,  being 
259 


26o  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

the  beginners  of  new  ideas  and  customs, 
were  then  received  unwillingly  into  that 
corps  by  its  older  officers.  Thereafter  two  or 
more  graduates  each  year  pursued  a  similar 
postgraduate  course  at  Greenwich,  Glasgow, 
or  Paris.  From  October,  1897,  to  March, 
1899,  this  plan  was  temporarily  interrupted 
by  a  half-hearted  attempt  to  carry  out  a 
postgraduate  course  of  two  years  at  the 
Academy,  then  was  resumed  and  continued 
until  the  present  method  of  postgraduate 
courses  for  the  several  corps  of  the  service 
came  into  operation.  Ensigns  for  the  con- 
struction corps,  beginning  in  February,  1 913, 
were  returned  from  sea  to  the  Naval  Aca- 
demy postgraduate  school,  and  after  six 
months  of  study  there  were  sent  to  the 
Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology  for 
a  course  covering  from  two  to  three  years. 

The  special  course  of  one  year,  the  fourth 
at  the  Academy,  given  to  naval  cadets  for 
the  engineer  corps  in  marine  engineering 
specialization,  begun  in  September,  1889, 
was  abandoned  in  June,    1899,  because  of 


The  Postgraduate  261 

the  amalgamation  of  the  line  and  engineer 
corps.  Soon  the  necessity  for  higher  educa- 
tion and  specialization  in  marine  engineering, 
ordnance,  and  electricity  became  too  appar- 
ent to  be  longer  deferred,  and  in  December, 
1904,  the  postgraduate  system  of  schooHng 
was  applied  to  officers  for  ordnance  by  the 
selection  of  four  for  special  study  under  the 
general  direction  of  the  Bureau  of  Ordnance. 
This  idea  was  taken  up  by  the  Bureau  of 
Steam  Engineering  with  the  appointment  of 
eleven  officers  who  were  to  begin  work  in 
January,  1906.  This  plan  of  training  officers 
in  engineering  and  ordnance  was  continued 
for  a  few  years. 

As  the  results  of  the  imsystematized  edu- 
cation failed  to  meet  expectations,  the  School 
of  Marine  Engineering  was  established  at  the 
Naval  Academy,  June  9,  1909,  with  classes 
consisting  of  ten  officers  for  marine  engineers 
and  a  course  that  extended  over  two  years. 
Commencing  June,  19 13,  the  second  year 
for  the  engineering  students  was  taken  at 
Columbia  University. 


262  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

In  November,  1912,  the  ordnance  students 
came  to  this  school  at  Annapolis  for  a  course 
of  four  months,  and,  in  February,  19 13, 
came  the  naval  constructors. 

The  Navy  Aviation  Corps  also  owes  much 
of  its  early  training  and  organization  to 
Annapolis,  which  was  its  headquarters  during 
the  years  191 1,  1912,  and  1913.  Its  hangars 
were  for  a  time  located  just  inside  Greenbury 
Point.  It  was  found,  however,  that  stray 
bullets  from  the  rifle  range  rendered  this 
position  unsuitable  and  the  hangars  were 
removed  to  a  point  near  the  Engineering 
Experimental  Station.  During  these  years 
the  sight  of  seaplanes  and  the  soiind  of  the 
whir  of  their  noisy  propellers  were  common 
to  Annapolis,  where  now  only  news  items  and 
pictures  remind  the  midshipmen  of  this 
important  branch  of  their  profession. 

Thus  the  present  curriculum  and  the 
methods  pursued  in  postgraduate  courses 
in  the  Navy  may  be  said  truly  to  have  actu- 
ally commenced  in  the  summer  of  191 3. 
The  specialized  experts  in  the  Navy,  men  who 


A  CORNER  OF  THE  ELECTRICAL  LABORATORY 


White  Studio 


THE    MACHINE  SHOP 


The  Postgraduate  263 

are  seagoing  and  yet  both  practical  and  theo- 
retical experts  in  ordnance,  marine,  and 
electrical  engineering,  and  naval  construc- 
tion, and  who  are  capable  of  design  work  and 
development  of  all  mechanisms,  are  being 
developed  by  this  Postgraduate  School  now 
firmly  established  at  the  Academy,  An 
officer  after  a  course  in  this  school  becomes  a 
specialist  when  on  a  shore  detail  and  an  all- 
round  officer  when  at  sea.  His  sea  experi- 
ence enables  him  to  know  what  is  wanted, 
his  special  education  qualifies  him,  when 
next  on  shore,  to  produce  the  gear,  design, 
or  what  not  required  by  the  seaman.  Hence 
these  graduates  are  our  most  valuable  officers, 
and,  having  had  this  special  opportunity, 
they  feel  an  obligation  to  prove  worthy  of 
the  education  that  has  been  given  them. 

A  recent  example  of  the  advantage  of 
having  such  specialists  at  sea  was  furnished 
in  September,  191 5,  when  a  superdread- 
nought,  by  reason  of  the  bursting  of  the 
casing  of  the  steam  turbine  that  drove  her 
main  circulating  pump,  would,  in  all  likeli- 


264  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

hood,  have  been  obliged  to  leave  the  fleet 

for  repairs,  had  it  not  been  for  a  postgradu- 
ate engineer  student  on  board,  who,  by  a 
scientific  calculation  of  the  motor  character- 
istics, of  the  various  motors  on  board,  was 
enabled  to  select  and  doctor  up  one  where- 
with to  drive  the  pump  and  did  his  task  so 
successfully,  that  the  vessel  operated  at  full 
power  during  war  manoeuvres  and  was  not 
required  to  undergo  finther  repair  until  a 
month  later  when  she  proceeded  to  dockyard 
for  her  routine  overhaul. 

The  years  at  sea  implant  in  the  young 
officer's  heart  the  ambition  to  learn  and  he 
comes  to  his  work  full  of  enthusiasm  and 
interest.  Indeed  these  young  officers,  all 
specially  selected,  find  study  a  pleasure  and 
not  the  necessary  evil  it  was  considered 
when  they  were  undergraduates,  its  only  use 
in  their  mind  then  being  that  it  enabled  them 
to  pass  the  examinations.  Mathematics 
are  dry,  hard,  and  intangible  to  the  young 
midshipmen  who,  to  use  the  words  of  one 
young   officer,    even   at   times,    believe   the 


The  Postgraduate  265 

subject  to  be  only  a  cunningly  devised  scheme 
of  mental  torture.  In  the  Postgraduate 
School,  however,  the  application  of  mathe- 
matics to  everyday  science  becomes  apparent, 
and  the  student  realizes  that  without  mathe- 
matics he  can  never  do  exact  work  of  any 
kind  in  this  world.  However,  the  experience 
of  several  years  at  sea  in  the  fleet  has  caused 
an  entire  change  of  his  viewpoint,  and  the 
value  to  him  of  engineering  knowledge  is 
appreciated  in  its  true  proportion.  He  finds 
that  the  undergraduate  training  has  of  neces- 
sity been  insufficient,  and  he  must  look  to  a 
postgraduate  course  to  supply  this  defici- 
ency. The  scope  of  the  engineering  field 
with  which  the  graduate  midshipman  must 
have  some  familiarity  is  so  extensive  that 
the  imdergraduate  course,  as  has  been  ex- 
plained, is  necessarily  largely  descriptive  in 
its  nature  and  time  is  not  available  for  much 
fimdamental  theory. 

The  technical  duties  in  the  various  phases  of 
naval  engineering  for  which  postgraduate  edu- 
cation is  required,  may  be  tabulated  as  follows : 


266  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

HULL  ENGINEERING  (Naval  Construction) 
The  designing,  building,  fitting,  and  repair- 
ing of  hulls  of  ships,  capstans,  windlasses, 
steering  gear,  and  ventilating  apparatus;  the 
designing,  construction,  and  installation  of 
certain  ammunition  hoists,  the  placing  and 
securing  of  armour;  the  designing  and  in- 
stallation of  supports  for  everything  attached 
to  the  hull  of  the  ship,  including  armament 
and  propelling  machinery ;  electric  machinery 
for  turret  turning,  boat  cranes,  deck  winches; 
the  docking  of  ships. 

ORDNANCE  ENGINEERING 

The  designing,  manufacture,  purchasing, 
and  inspecting  of  guns  and  gun  mounts; 
ammunition  hoists,  rammers,  gun  sights  and 
telescopes,  periscopes,  and  other  optical  in- 
struments; smokeless  powder,  gun  cotton, 
and  other  high  explosives;  torpedo  tubes, 
torpedoes  and  mines,  air  compressors,  armour, 
projectiles,  small  arms  and  infantry  equip- 
ments, fire  control  apparatus;  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Naval  Gun  Factory,  the  Naval 


The  Postgraduate  267 

Proving  Ground,  the  Naval  Smokeless  Pow- 
der Factory,  the  Torpedo  Stations,  and 
various  naval  magazines. 

ELECTRICAL  ENGINEERING 

At  sea.  As  electrical  officers  on  shipboard, 
the  operation  and  maintenance  of  all  electric 
machinery,  from  the  switchboard. 

On  shore.  The  designing,  purchasing,  and 
inspecting  of  all  electric  machinery  and 
appliances  except  turret  turning  motors, 
ammunition  hoist  motors,  boat  cranes,  and 
deck  winches. 

RADIO   ENGINEERING 

At  sea.  As  a  radio  officer  on  staffs  of 
commanders-in-chiefs.  Squadron  and  Flotilla 
commanders;  development  and  control  of 
radio  communication  and  maintenance  of 
apparatus. 

On  shore.  Designing,  inspecting,  fit- 
ting, and  repairing  of  radio  installations. 
The  administration  of  the  Naval  Radio 
Service. 


268  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

MARINE  ENGINEERING 

At  sea.  As  chief  engineers  or  assistant 
engineers;  the  operating,  maintenance,  and 
repair  of  motive  and  aiixiHary  machinery. 

On  shore.  The  designing,  building,  pur- 
chase, inspecting,  and  repairing  of  propel- 
ling machinery,  boilers,  engines,  pumps, 
distilling  apparatus,  refrigerating  apparatus, 
dynamo  engines.  The  management  of  the 
Engineering  Experiment  Station  and  of  the 
Fuel  Oil  Testing  Plant. 

CIVIL  ENGINEERING 

The  designing  and  constructing  of  build- 
ings and  their  permanent  fixtures  at  Navy 
Yards  and  Naval  Stations,  harbour  works, 
waterfront  improvements,  graving  docks,  and 
floating  docks,  power  plants,  roads,  streets, 
tracks,  hoisting  appliances,  cranes,  derricks, 
transportation  equipment,  steam  shovels, 
dredges,  and  pile  drivers,  fire  apparatus. 

During  the  period  of  the  development  of 
the  postgraduate  idea    in   the   Navy,  i88l 


The  Postgraduate  269 

for  the  construction  corps,  1904- 1906  for 
the  other  speciaHzed  corps,  there  was  much 
discussion  and  conflict  of  opinions  as  to  the 
proper  site  for  the  home  of  the  new  depart- 
ment of  postgraduate  education.  The  best 
service  opinion  deems  the  present  location 
at  the  Naval  Academy  to  be  the  wisest  one. 
It  is  important  to  maintain  the  early  part 
of  the  course  under  the  direct  control  of 
naval  officers,  who  are  thus  permitted  to 
observe  the  students  closely  and  determine 
their  fitness  for  the  work  and  thoroughly 
to  instill  in  them  an  appreciation  of  responsi- 
biHty  as  regards  their  future  work  at  the 
colleges  and  in  the  naval  service.  The  Naval 
Academy  furnishes  well-equipped  engineering 
and  chemical  laboratories  and  there  is  located 
close  at  hand  the  Engineering  Experimental 
Station  of  the  Navy,  and  above  all,  come  the 
strengthening  of  the  service  spirit  and  the 
valuable  influence  and  aid  of  the  Academic 
Staff.  The  faciUties  of  the  Naval  Academy 
for  the  preservation  of  the  physical  health 
of  the  students  are  also  important  considera- 


270  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

tions.  The  addition  of  the  postgraduate 
department  benefits  the  Naval  Academy  as 
an  educational  institution,  the  function  thus 
entrusted  to  it  lending  dignity  and  elevating 
its  plane.  The  service  spirit  is  strengthened 
by  the  unity  of  interest  resulting  from  the 
fact  that  the  undergraduates  and  the  post- 
graduates are  studying  at  the  same  institution. 
The  presence  of  these  postgraduate  students 
incites  the  midshipman  to  harder  work,  and 
the  student  officers  feel  that  they  must  set 
a  good  example.  Young  officers  among  fami- 
liar surroundings  will  pick  up  the  habit  of 
study  more  quickly  than  they  possibly  could 
in  a  place  with  no  familiar  landmarks. 

The  administration  of  the  school  is  exam- 
ined and  approved  from  time  to  time  by  a 
council  composed  of  the  Superintendent  of 
the  Naval  Academy,  the  Head  of  the  Experi- 
mental Station,  the  Heads  of  the  academic 
departments  of  Ordnance  and  Gunnery, 
Electrical  Engineering  and  Physics,  Marine 
Engineering  and  Naval  Construction,  Mathe- 
matics  together  with   a  naval   constructor, 


White  Studio 

MEASURING  SHAFT  HORSE-POWER  BY  TORSION  METER  AND  PRONY 
BRAKE.     SHAFT  DRIVEN  BY  CURTIS  TURBINE 


White  Studio 


THE  FOR&E  SHOP 


The  Postgraduate  271 

a  civil  engineer,  and  the  Head  of  the  Post- 
graduate Department.  The  latter  is  at  present 
Lieutenant  Commander  John  Halligan,  jr., 
an  officer  of  recognized  ability  along  engi- 
neering educational  lines,  whose  service  in 
the  Navy  has  been  of  a  character  especially 
to  fit  him  for  the  position  he  occupies.  This 
chapter  is  based  largely  upon  a  recent  article 
by  him  descriptive  of  the  work  of  the  school. 

The  teaching  staff  of  this  school  consists 
of  three  civilian  professors  and  three  instruc- 
tors all  under  the  guidance  of  this  naval 
officer,  who  understands  what  the  service 
requires  and  is  thus  able  intelligently  to 
direct  the  courses.  The  services  of  many 
naval  officers  on  duty  in  the  undergraduate 
department  of  the  Academy  as  instructors 
are  also  utilized  to  fill  out  the  courses.  The 
staff  is  wholly  composed  of  experts  in  their 
line,  of  trained  instructors  famiHar  and  in 
close  touch  with  industrial  conditions  and 
modern  engineering  practice,  the  field  of 
which  is  widening  so  rapidly  these  days. 

Much    instruction    is    given    by    lectures, 


2^2  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

and  much  by  practical  work  in  the  labora- 
tories. The  forenoons  in  general  are  devoted 
to  lectures  or  recitations;  the  afternoons,  on 
the  other  hand,  are  devoted  to  drafting-room 
or  laboratory  work,  the  division  of  time  be- 
tween theory  and  practice  being  about  even. 
There  are  scheduled  about  fifty-five  hours  per 
week  to  be  devoted  to  work  in  the  laboratory, 
lectures,  and  preparation.  Fifteen  hours  of 
preparation  at  home  are  required,  and  an  en- 
deavour is  made  to  hold  the  students  to  that 
amount,  but  the  record  turned  in  by  the  stu- 
dents shows  an  average  of  over  twenty  hours. 
Compulsory  physical  exercise  is  scheduled 
for  three  periods  per  week,  which  come  just 
before  luncheon.  Fifteen  minutes  of  this 
time  is  spent  in  Swedish  movements,  this 
being  followed  by  forty-five  minutes  of  hand- 
ball during  the  indoor  season  and  of  tennis 
when  weather  and  the  condition  of  the  courts 
permit.  This  maintains  the  physical  health 
secured  during  the  academic  years  and  gives 
the  student  officers  instruction  in  a  form  of 
exercise  that  is  available  in  most  parts  of  the 


The  Postgraduate  273 

world  where  vessels  of  the  Navy  may  call 
in  their  cruising  duties. 

The  officers  who  are  to  take  this  course 
are  selected  carefully  by  the  officers  of  the 
three  bureaus  concerned;  namely,  Ordnance, 
Construction  and  Repair,  and  Steam  Engi- 
neering. Their  semi-annual  reports  of  fit- 
ness, their  reputation  among  their  fellow 
officers,  the  estimate  of  their  seniors  with 
whom  they  are  serving,  their  scholastic  merit 
as  shown  in  the  four  years  at  the  Naval 
Academy,  and  their  own  requests  form  the 
basis  from  which  the  selections  are  made. 

The  tabulated  data  which  follow,  give  a 
clear  idea  of  the  size  of  the  school  at  present 
and  the  method  of  carrying  on  the  courses, 
as  well  as  indicating  the  whereabouts  of  the 
students  in  January,  1916: 

AT  ANNAPOLIS 

Marine  Engineers l6 

Electrical  Engineers 4 

Radio  Engineer I 

Ordnance  Officers 5 

Naval  Constructors 5 

Total 31 

z8 


274  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

AT  COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 

Marine  Engineers  (Design) 7 

Marine  Engineers  (Shop  Practices) 2 

Electrical  Engineers 10 

MetaUographist I 

AT  THE  MASSACHUSETTS  INSTITUTE 
OF  TECHNOLOGY 

Naval  Constructors 13 

AT  RENSSELAER  POLYTECHNIC  INSTITUTE 
Civil  Engineers 3 

AT    STEEL    PLANTS,     NAVAL    GUN 
FACTORY,  PROVING  GROUND 

Ordnance  Engineers 9 

The  allotment  of  time  under  instruction 
indicates  what  an  opportunity  the  young 
officer  who  is  so  fortunate  as  to  be  one  of 
these  selected  few,  obtains  in  the  compre- 
hensive view  of  the  whole  naval  profession 
that  is  thus  given  him  (see  opposite  page). 

The  need  for  postgraduates,  i.  e.,  officers 
who  are  specially  educated  along  a  certain 
line  in  their  profession,  is  thus  being  gradu- 
ally met  as  far  as  the  service  demands  for 
officers  ashore  and  afloat  will  permit.     The 


The  Postgraduate 


275 


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I  mo.  Sperry  Gyroscope  Co.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

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Summer  of  2  years  at  Navy  Yard,  N.  Y. 
Schenectady,  N.  Y. 
Sperry  Gyro  Co.,  etc. 

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to  degree  of  C.E. 
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276  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

school  can  handle  a  much  larger  number  than 
it  has  at  present,  but  for  some  years  until 
the  shortage  of  officers  is  gradually  made  up 
it  is  probable  that  the  school  will  retain 
about  its  present  proportions. 

Recently,  191 6,  an  inspection  of  the  cur- 
riculum, of  the  laboratory  appliances,  of  the 
methods  of  teaching  and  of  the  underlying 
principles  governing  the  school  was  made  by 
a  board  of  expert  civilian  educators.  They 
approved  in  most  commendatory  terms  the 
school  and  its  methods.  As  one  result  of 
their  work  the  hope  has  been  kindled  that  a 
special  building  will  be  erected  in  the  Naval 
Academy  as  the  home  of  the  school.  The 
present  building  is  ill  adapted  to  the  purpose, 
and  will  almost  certainly  be  requisitioned  for 
the  needs  of  the  undergraduate  body,  which 
body,  on  account  of  the  recent  increases  in  the 
number  of  midshipmen,  will  require  the  use 
of  the  present  quarters  of  the  school. 

In  marine  engineering  alone  the  Navy 
requires,  according  to  the  estimate  of  the 
Bureau  made  in  January,  191 6,  for  its  thor- 


The  Postgraduate  277 

oughly  efficient  operation  two  hundred  and 
twenty-three  postgraduates.  This  is,  of 
course,  the  ideal  situation.  There  are  at 
present  fifty-six  postgraduates  of  engineer- 
ing in  the  service.  As  a  result  the  vessels  of 
the  fleet  are  being  run  at  reduced  efficiency 
without  the  proper  number  of  experts.  It 
is  believed  that  the  officer  who  completes 
the  course  given  in  this  school  receives  the 
most  complete  engineering  education  that 
is  available  in  the  present  day.  The  gain  to 
the  naval  service  is  great,  and  already  many 
problems  in  the  science  of  engineering  afloat 
and  of  ordnance  and  of  naval  construction 
have  been  successfully  solved  by  the  gradu- 
ates of  this  school. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

GROUNDS  AND  BUILDINGS 

'  Its  stately  halls  of  learning. 
How  impressively  they  stand, 
Amid  its  tall  ancestral  trees, 
O'er  all  the  pleasant  land^ 

The  army  post  at  Fort  Severn,  as  trans- 
ferred to  the  Navy,  in  1845,  comprised  an 
area  of  ()l4,  acres.  The  War  Department 
had  acquired  the  property  from  the  Dulaney 
family  in  1808.  The  fort  was  a  small  cir- 
cular rampart  built  in  1809  upon  Windmill 
Point,  the  easternmost  extremity  of  Annapo- 
lis, on  the  site  of  the  stone  windmill  that 
had  been  erected  there  in  1760.  The  walls 
were  about  fourteen  feet  high  and  enclosed 
a  space  about  one  hundred  feet  in  diameter. 
The  battery  consisted   of  four  24-pounders, 

six  i2-pounders,  and  two  6-pounders.     This 
278 


Grounds  and  Buildino^s       279 


fort,  as  time  passed,  lost  its  character  as  a 
fortification;  its  guns  were  removed;  a  second 
story  and  a  roof  of  wood  were  added ;  finally, 
in  Admiral  Porter's  administration  about 
1868,  it  became  the  gymnasium  of  the  Acad- 
emy, in  which  capacity  it  served  until  the 
present  gymnasium  was  completed.  Sub- 
sequently it  was  merely  a  landmark  of  the 
early  struggles  of  the  Academy  for  existence 
and  even  this  significance  was  denied  it  when 
in  1909  it  was  totally  demolished.  An  in- 
scription on  a  stone  block,  set  into  the  present 
Cooper  Road,  and  a  bronze  tablet,  set  in 
the  comer  of  the  gymnasium,  are  the  only 
reminders  of  the  existence  of  the  fort,  which 
had  stood  for  one  hundred  years  and  which 
had  in  turn  served  as  an  army  fort,  a  battery 
for  great-gun  training  of  midshipmen,  and  a 
gymnasium  that  contained  a  bowHng  alley 
and  a  swimming  tank. 

By  1861,  the  time  of  the  removal  of  the 
Academy  to  Newport,  the  grounds  had  been 
enlarged  through  two  purchases,  one  made 
in  1847,  and  the  other  in  1853,  with  the  result 


28o  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

that  the  acreage  had  increased  to  26^  acres. 
Since  the  return  of  the  Academy,  in  1865, 
purchases  of  additional  territory  and  the 
reclaiming  of  land  from  the  river  and  harbour 
fronts  have  steadily  continued.  At  present, 
1916,  the  Naval  Academy  proper,  as  bor- 
dered by  Dorsey  Creek,  Severn  River,  the 
harbour,  and  city  of  Annapolis,  comprise 
1 1 1.05  acres  of  which  44.7  acres  are  reclaimed 
lands,  the  largest  portion  being  the  17  acres 
that  form  the  greater  part  of  Farragut  Field. 
Across  Dorsey  Creek  to  the  north-west  of 
the  Academy  lie  113. 19  acres,  which  pro- 
perty was  purchased  in  two  large  lots.  The 
first,  that  bought  in  1868,  was  known  as  the 
Strawberry  Hill  purchase.  Upon  this  are 
now  located  the  cemetery,  the  U.  S.  Naval 
Hospital,  and  part  of  the  present  golf  course. 
The  second,  that  bought  in  1869,  called  the 
Prospect  Hill  purchase,  includes  the  remain- 
der of  the  golf  course,  the  marine  corps  reser- 
vation, and  the  superintendent's  garden. 
These  two  pieces  of  land  are  commonly  known 
as  the  "Government  Farm." 


TrtM 


Grounds  and  Buildings       281 

Across  the  Severn  in  a  general  north- 
easterly direction  are  located  the  Experiment 
Station,  the  buoy  station,  the  rifle  ranges 
comprising  176.5  acres,  and  the  farm  on 
Greenbury  Point  of  180  additional  acres. 
The  land  occupied  by  the  Naval  Academy 
cost  $373,630.79,  and  that  in  the  Government 
Farm  cost  $34,218.75. 

The  buildings  of  the  Academy  are  all 
comparatively  modem  structures,  the  oldest 
being  the  officers'  quarters  of  brick  in  Upshur 
Row,  built  from  1893  to  1898.  The  territory 
upon  which  they  are  located  is  known  col- 
loquially as  Oklahoma  because,  as  these  quar- 
ters, when  built,  were  the  best  and  most 
modem  in  the  yard,  there  was,  when  they 
were  opened,  a  rush  for  them,  recalling  the 
stampede  for  desirable  sites  in  Oklahoma. 
The  remainder  of  the  present  Academy  was 
commenced  in  1899.  The  various  buildings 
of  the  Academy  at  that  date  comprised 
architecture  "of  all  patterns  from  a  Greek 
temple  to  a  modem  factory,  from  an  early 
colonial  mansion  to  a  later-day  assemblage 


282  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

of  flats,  "^  and  were  most  of  them  in  an  un- 
safe and  unsanitary  condition,  being  so  re- 
ported by  consecutive  Boards  of  Visitors 
for  many  years. 

Governor  Sayres  of  Texas,  chairman  of 
the  House  Committee  on  Appropriations, 
and  Colonel  R.  M.  Thompson,  a  civilian  of 
years'  standing  but  once  a  member  of  the 
class  of  1868,  were  members  of  the  Board  of 
Visitors  of  1895,  which  made  a  very  strong 
report  insisting  that  something  be  done  to 
reHeve  the  urgency  for  proper  buildings. 
After  stating  that  the  Board  considered  that 
the  Naval  Academy  ought  to  be  an  institu- 
tion second  to  none  in  the  world,  one  that 
would  meet  every  modern  educational  re- 
quirement and  afford  every  convenience  and 
accommodation  to  officers,  instructors,  and 
cadets,  and  after  characterizing  the  insuffi- 
ciency of  the  present  buildings  in  strong 
terms,  the  report  concluded  "a  reconstruc- 
tion of  buildings,    grounds,   and  sanitation, 

'  Park  Benjamin  in  The  United  States  Naval  Academy, 
p.  408. 


Grounds  and  Buildings       283 

upon  the  most  approved  modern  architec- 
tural and  sanitary  lines  will  not  only  be  an 
incalculable  benefit  to  the  naval  service,  but 
a  progressive  step  which  will  meet  the  ap- 
proval of  the  whole  country." 

Through  the  energy  of  Colonel  Thompson 
this  report  was  not  permitted  to  be  pigeon- 
holed, and  Secretary  Herbert  appointed  a 
board  of  survey  to  examine  into  the  Acad- 
emy's needs  and  to  devise  methods  to  meet 
them.  This  board  was  known  as  the  Mat- 
thews' Board,  its  chairman  being  Commodore 
E.  0.  Matthews.  Captain  P.  H.  Cooper 
was  a  most  prominent  working  member 
thereof  and  an  advocate  of  an  entire  new 
Naval  Academy.  In  the  report  of  the 
Board  were  embodied  the  plans  of  Mr. 
Ernest  Flagg,  an  architect  of  New  York. 
Much  importance  was  placed  upon  the  ne- 
cessity of  reclaiming  land  from  the  water- 
front and  in  preparing  the  ground  for  the 
erection  of  new  buildings.  "The  extensive 
flats  that  surrounded  the  water-front  exposed 
or  close  to  the  surface  at  low  water  rendered 


284  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

the  providing  of  a  proper  sewerage  system 
practically  impossible.  The  new  buildings 
ought  to  be  substantial  fire-proof  buildings 
of  indestructible  material  so  situated  and 
arranged  as  to  be  convenient,  healthful,  and 
thoroughly  adapted  to  the  requirements  of 
an  institution  that  is  to  last  for  all  time." 
This  was  in  January,  1896. 

Matters  drifted  for  two  years  longer,  to 
be  specific,  until  the  recitation  hall  was 
found  to  be  unsafe.  Then  Congress,  1898- 
1899,  was  asked  to  make  the  appropriation 
necessary  to  commence  the  work  in  accord- 
ance with  the  "Matthew's  plan,"  and 
one  million  dollars  were  obtained  to  be 
applied  toward  the  erection  of  the  boat- 
house  (the  present  gymnasium  and  seaman- 
ship building),  the  armory,  the  power-house, 
and  a  part  of  the  sea-wall.  The  additional 
money  expended  in  the  carrying  out  of  the 
plan  was  obtained  in  small  appropriations 
made  from  year  to  year.  Once  begun,  the 
construction  of  buildings  progressed  without 
interruption.     The    Spanish-American    War 


Grounds  and  Buildings       285 

had  popularized  the  Navy  so  that  appropria- 
tions in  large  amounts  were  granted  by 
Congress  for  the  erection  of  buildings.  Later 
however,  after  the  three  first  buildings, 
Dahlgren,  Bancroft,  and  Luce  Hall,  were 
completed  of  granite  and  limestone,  insuffi- 
cient money  was  appropriated,  and  the  re- 
maining buildings  of  the  new  Academy  had, 
in  consequence,  to  be  built  of  grey  enamelled 
brick,  terra- cotta,  and  plaster.  As  a  result 
they  appear  somewhat  out  of  keeping  with 
the  earHer,  more  solid  and  substantial 
buildings. 

Work  on  the  construction  of  the  present 
Naval  Academy  was  commenced  on  March 
28,  1899,  and  was  continued  with  more  or 
less  activity  until  1913,  when,  with  the 
laying  of  the  unsightly  telegraph,  telephone, 
lighting  and  power  Hnes  underground,  to- 
gether with  the  building  of  Dorsey  Creek  con- 
crete bridge,  the  Academy  may  really  be 
considered  to  have  been  completed.  The  con- 
struction work  thus  occupied  about  eleven 
years,  and  the  cost  has  been  $8,019,000  for 


286  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

the  buildings,  and  $446,000  for  quay  walls 
and  wharves.  The  position  of  the  buildings, 
as  well  as  the  names  that  have  been  given 
them  in  order  to  perpetuate  the  names  of 
notable  workers  of  the  service,  are  well 
indicated  on  the  map  of  the  Academy  ap- 
pended to  this  book.  The  plan  has  been  to 
group  the  buildings  in  such  a  way  as  to  facili- 
tate their  use  by  midshipmen.  The  con- 
necting by  covered  ways  of  Bancroft  Hall, 
the  quarters,  to  the  gymnasium  and  armory, 
in  which  two  buildings  all  the  indoor  recrea- 
tion and  sports  are  held,  places  these  build- 
ings within  easy  access  of  the  midshipmen 
and  allows  the  maximum  amount  of  time 
for  recreation,  the  distance  required  to  be 
covered  in  order  to  shift  clothes  being 
reduced  to  the  minimum. 

The  midshipmen's  quarters  known  as 
Bancroft  Hall  is  a  five-story  granite  building 
arranged  around  three  courts — two  inner, 
which  serve  as  light-shafts  to  the  inside 
rooms  of  midshipmen,  and  one  outer,  which 
serves    as    an    esplanade    before    the    main 


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Grounds  and  Buildings       287 

entrance.  The  building  measures  773  feet 
in  extreme  length  and  458  feet  in  breadth. 
The  total  cost  was  $3,513,855.  When  the 
building  was  designed  the  total  strength  of 
the  regiment  was  estimated  at  about  480 
midshipmen.  However,  the  regiment  has 
increased  in  numbers  until  it  had  an  enroll- 
ment of  918  at  the  beginning  of  the  academic 
year  191 5-19 16,  and  the  probable  number  for 
the  fall  of  1916  is  1250.  This  increase  in 
numbers  above  that  for  which  the  quarters 
were  designed  naturally  has  caused  many 
complications,  not  the  least  of  which  was 
the  change  in  the  location  of  the  mess  hall 
from  the  space  designed,  now  officially 
called  Recreation  Hall  but  unofficially 
"Smoke  Hall,"  to  a  space  ill  suited  for  the 
purpose  under  the  terrace  and  almost  on  a 
level  with  the  water.  The  rotunda  of  Ban- 
croft Hall  is  the  most  pleasing  architectural 
interior  effect  in  the  Academy,  the  walls 
being  high  and  ornamental,  the  floor  laid 
in  different  coloured  marbles.  A  handsome 
stairway  leads  to  Alemorial  Hall  from  the 


288  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

balcony  of  which  can  be  seen  Farragut  Field 
and  the  bay  beyond.  Memorial  Hall  con- 
tains many  tablets  commemorative  of  naval 
officers  and  many  portraits  of  noted  seamen. 
This  hall  is  used  for  assemblages  of  midship- 
men, for  an  occasional  dance,  sometimes  for 
the  class  germans,  in  general  as  a  reading- 
room,  and  on  Sunday  evenings  as  the  meeting- 
place  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  The  room  below 
this  is  the  first  classmen's  smoking  room 
and  recreation  room.  From  the  rotunda  on 
either  side,  stretch  away  the  long  dark  cor- 
ridors upon  which  the  rooms  of  the  midship- 
men open.  The  first  few  rooms  on  either 
hand  of  the  second  floor — or  deck  as  officially 
called — are  used  for  the  offices  of  the  neces- 
sary officials  who  carry  on  the  administration 
of  the  regiment  of  the  midshipmen. 

The  armory  (Dahlgren  Hall)  and  the 
gymnasium  (Luce  Hall)  are  alike  in  external 
appearance,  being  connected  to  Bancroft 
Hall  by  red-tile  roofed  colonnades.  These 
buildings  are  each  425  feet  long,  100  feet 
wide,  and  75  feet  high,  and  are  built  of  granite. 


Grounds  and  Buildings       289 

the  armory  being  the  only  building  completed 
in  exact  conformity  with  the  original  design. 
The  former  cost  $445,635,  the  latter  $589,720. 
Dahlgren  Hall,  the  first  building  of  the  new 
Academy,  houses  the  department  of  Ord- 
nance and  Gunnery,  containing  the  recita- 
tion-rooms, the  offices,  rifles  for  the  entire 
regiment,  workshops,  guns,  torpedoes,  mines, 
range  finders,  and  fire  control  apparatus  for 
instructional  purposes.  Luce  Hall  contains 
the  Seamanship  department,  the  gymnasium, 
swimming  pool,  and  the  offices  of  the  physical- 
training  branch  of  the  Executive  department. 
The  Seamanship  department  has  many 
models  of  great  interest  pertaining  to  its 
course  of  instruction.  The  large  model  of 
the  auxiHary  steam  and  sail  full-rigged  man- 
of-war  Antietam  affords  an  excellent  real 
object  lesson  in  the  knowledge  that  was  re- 
quired in  the  sailing-ship  days.  Modern 
appliances  for  handling  present-day  vessels 
are  on  hand  for  the  detail  instruction  of  the 
midshipmen. 

The  next  important  group  of  buildings, 
19 


290  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

from  the  centre  of  which  rises  the  clock  tower, 
is  known  as  the  Academic  Group.  The 
first  three  buildings  of  the  new  Academy  had 
been  built  of  granite,  but  beginning  with 
the  Academic  Group  all  the  other  buildings 
were  constructed  of  slip-coated  grey-enam- 
elled brick.  The  change  of  material  is  not 
very  noticeable  because  of  the  similarity 
of  colour.  This  group  consists  of  the  main 
building,  known  as  ]Mahan  Hall,  which  con- 
tains the  librar}^  and  the  auditorium,  and 
two  long  wings,  which  house  several  academic 
departments.  The  Hbrary  was  estabHshed 
almost  coincidently  with  the  Naval  Academy 
for  the  purpose  of  supplying  the  Hterary  and 
professional  wants  of  the  institution  and 
started  with  the  transfer  to  it,  under  the 
direction  of  Secret ar}^  Bancroft,  of  a  few 
htmdred  volumes  of  miscellaneous  works 
which  had  belonged  to  the  Hbraries  of  ships- 
of-war  and  navy  yards.  The  yearly  appro- 
priation by  Congress  of  two  thousand  dollars 
for  its  increase  and  support,  begun  in  1851, 
has  continued  to  the  present  time,  and  all 


=     E- 

<       — 
2       < 


Grounds  and  Buildings       291 

books  that  relate  to  the  Na\'y  and  to  the 
profession  of  a  naval  ofificer  are  purchased. 
The  librar>^  undoubtedly  possesses  the  most 
complete  collection  of  naval  literature  in 
the  country,  being  particularly  rich  in  bio- 
graphy, general  history,  and  mathematics. 
From  the  modest  collection  of  4751  volumes 
at  the  end  of  1855,  it  had  increased  at  the  end 
of  the  year  191 5  to  the  respectable  figure 
of  55,744  volumes.  The  present  quarters  of 
the  Hbraiy"  in  !Mahan  Hall  were  occupied 
in  1907.  The  auditorium,  known  as  Trophy 
Hall,  from  its  fine  collection  of  flags  that  are 
of  historical  value  to  the  country  because  of 
their  capture  in  war  or  because  of  other 
associations,  contains  a  stage,  which  serves 
for  the  entertainments  given  by  the  Alid- 
shipmen's  Musical  Clubs,  the  Masqueraders, 
and  for  the  \asiting  glee  clubs  or  lecturers, 
while  its  floor  is  used  at  times  for  the  oflBcers* 
hops,  and  the  dancing  instruction  of  the 
midshipmen.  Maur>"  Hall,  the  north-eastern 
wing  of  the  Academic  Group,  contains  the 
recitation-rooms  and   offices  of  the  depart- 


292  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

merits  of  Navigation,  Mathematics,  English, 
and  Modem  Languages.  Sampson  Hall, 
the  south-western  wing,  houses  similarly  the 
department  of  Electrical  Engineering  and 
Physics,  containing  also  one  of  the  most 
complete  electrical  laboratories  in  the  coun- 
try, a  chemical  laboratory,  and  a  large  lec- 
ture-room having  a  seating  capacity  of  four 
hundred  that  is  used  by  all  academic  de- 
partments in  common.  This  building  cost 
$1,408,012.  Architecturally  and  in  the  light 
of  suitability  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  was 
erected,  this  group  is  by  far  the  most  satis- 
factory of  any  upon  the  Academy  grounds. 
It  is  a  building  worthy  of  the  Naval  Academy 
and  of  the  country. 

Beyond  this  building  to  the  north-west  is 
the  building  of  the  department  of  Marine 
Engineering  and  Naval  Construction,  known 
as  Isherwood  Hall.  The  postgraduate  school 
is  quartered  on  the  third  floor  of  this  build- 
ing. This  is  a  well-lighted  building,  erected 
around  two  interior  courts,  and  is  275  by 
180   feet   and    cost    $406,592.     It    contains 


Grounds  and  Buildings       293 

machine,  boiler,  coppersmith,  and  wood- 
working shops  together  with  forge  and  mould- 
ing plants.  The  corridors  of  the  main  floor 
are  occupied  by  many  models  operated  by 
compressed  air  of  all  types  of  machinery, 
and  by  sections  of  vessels.  Thus  the  appli- 
ances used  in  propelling,  maintaining,  and 
building  vessels  for  the  Navy  can  be  ex- 
plained from  actual  models. 

The  chapel,  with  its  unusual  ornate  yellow 
and  white  dome,  is  the  most  prominent  build- 
ing of  the  Academy,  and  truth  compels  one 
to  record  that  it  is  the  ugliest  as  well.  The 
chapel  is  built  in  the  form  of  a  Greek  cross 
120  X  120  feet,  with  a  dome  over  the  centre 
201  feet  in  height.  It  cost  $374,194.  The 
comer-stone  of  this  building  was  laid  June  3, 
1904,  and  the  building  was  opened  with 
divine  service  on  May  24,  1908.  The  chapel 
has  a  total  seating  capacity  of  1600.  It  is 
provided  with  an  excellent  electro-pneumati- 
cally  operated  organ.  The  crypt,  very  hand- 
some though  poorly  lighted,  contains  the 
marble  sarcophagus  in  which  lie  the  remains 


294  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

of  the  Navy's  first  great  sailor  and  hero, 
John  Paul  Jones. 

The  Administration  Building  on  Blake 
Row  contains  the  offices  of  the  Superintend- 
ent, the  officer  in  charge  of  buildings  and 
grounds,  the  board  of  labour  employment, 
and  has  rooms  for  the  meetings  of  the 
academic  board  and  courts  martial.  Its 
top  floor  is  occupied  by  the  drafting-room; 
its  basement  is  used  by  the  printer. 

The  Superintendent's  house,  on  Blake  Row, 
the  Officer's  Mess  on  Goldsborough  Row, 
in  which  bachelor  officers  are  quartered,  and 
the  quarters  of  the  various  departmental 
heads  on  Porter  Row  ("Rascality  Row") 
are  all  most  substantial  and  roomy  and  are 
built  of  the  same  grey  brick  that  was  used 
in  the  construction  of  the  Academic  Group. 
The  officers'  quarters  on  Rodgers  Row  and 
Upshur  Row  are  of  red  brick,  and  mark  the 
only  change  from  the  uniformity  of  colour 
within  the  Academy  walls.  This  change  is 
not  very  noticeable,  the  location  on  the 
borders  of  the  large  athletic  field  and  the 


Grounds  and  Buildings       295 

screen  of  maples  bordering  the  row,  favour- 
ing the  obscuring  of  the  colour  contrast. 

As  the  buildings  are  centrally  lighted  and 
heated,  the  power  plant  is  necessarily  quite 
extensive.  The  power  house,  built  of  the 
same  grey  brick  as  are  the  larger  part  of  the 
buildings  of  the  Academy,  contains  the  boil- 
ers, generators,  and  pumps  required.  Briefly, 
the  plant  consists  of  seven  Babcock  and 
Wilcox  400  horse-power  boilers  carrying 
steam  at  pressure  of  125  lbs.,  and  fitted  with 
Jones  underfed  stokers.  The  coal  is  fed 
by  gravity  from  overhead  bunkers  of  a  total 
capacity  of  2400  tons,  the  usual  amount 
carried  being  but  one  half  of  this.  For  the 
fresh-water  service  there  are  two  centrifugal 
pumps  and  one  duplex  plunger  pump,  the 
former  of  capacities  of  500  gallons  per  minute 
each,  and  the  latter  of  1500  gallons;  and,  in 
addition,  one  centrifugal  pump  of  250  gal- 
lons performs  the  hot-water  service.  The 
salt-water  service  of  the  yard  for  fire  protec- 
tion and  other  purposes  is  maintained  by 
two  duplex  plunger  pumps  of  the  capacity 


296  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

of  1500  gallons  per  minute  each.  The  boiler 
feed  pumps  are  four  in  number.  The  heating 
system  requires  a  total  of  six  pumps,  part 
of  the  yard  being  on  the  vacuum  steam  heat- 
ing plan,  the  remainder  on  the  gravity  return 
plan.  Thus  sixteen  large  pumps  are  re- 
quired to  maintain  the  yard  life.  For  electric 
power  there  are  seven  steam-driven  genera- 
tors and  two  subsidiary  motor  generator  sets, 
the  total  capacity  in  kilowatts  being  1120. 
The  power  required  varies  greatly, — in  De- 
cember it  is  120,000  kilowatt  hours  and  in 
July  60,000  kilowatt  hours.  This  variation 
is  due  to  the  service  being  mainly  a  lighting 
service,  with  a  large  proportion  of  the  midship- 
men absent  on  practice  cruises  in  the  summer. 
The  water  supply  is  of  the  utmost  import- 
ance, and,  both  in  respect  to  its  purity  and 
its  sufficiency,  the  Naval  Academy  has  water 
equal  to  the  best  in  the  world.  There  are 
three  artesian  wells  in  the  Academy,  two  of 
which  are  in  use,  while  one  small  well  is 
active  but  is  not  required;  they  are  approxi- 
mately   six    hundred    feet   in   depth.     The 


Grounds  and  Buildings       297 

water  is  forced  by  pneumatic  lift  from  the 
wells  into  the  nearby  underground  reservoirs 
of  a  capacity  of  2,400,000  gallons,  450,000 
gallons  being  supplied  daily  by  each  well. 
From  the  reservoir  the  water  runs  by  gravity 
to  the  fresh- water  pumps  in  the  power  plant, 
which,  at  a  pressure  of  seventy  pounds  per 
square  inch,  force  it  through  three  sand  and 
ten  carbon  filters  into  the  supply  mains. 

The  system  of  fire  hydrants  calls  for  both 
salt  and  fresh  water.  There  are  sixteen  of 
the  former  and  ten  of  the  latter.  The  pres- 
sure in  time  of  use  is  one  hundred  and  seventy 
pounds  per  square  inch. 

The  Naval  Academy  is  thus  self -maintained 
in  a  manner  similar  to  the  Navy's  industrial 
yards  and  plants. 

On  the  same  flat  peninsula  with  the  power 
plant  are  located  a  store  house,  a  shop  build- 
ing, and  the  offices  of  the  Supply  and  Pay 
Officer.  The  shop  building  is  occupied  by  the 
workshops  and  paintshops  of  the  repair  and 
maintenance  force  of  the  yard,  comprising  car- 
penters, plumbers,  steam-fitters,  painters,  etc. 


298  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

At  the  edge  of  Worden  Field  are  the  two 
old  frame  houses  that  house  the  racing  shells 
of  the  Naval  Academy  crews. 

Beyond  Dorsey  Creek  connected  to  the 
Academy  by  an  ornamental  concrete  bridge 
of  substantial  structure,  are  the  cemetery, 
the  marine  barracks,  and  the  handsome 
modern  buildings  of  the  hospital  with  its 
quarters  for  officers  and  for  nurses. 

Several  monuments  in  the  grounds  serve 
the  midshipmen  as  object  lessons  of  the 
deeds  of  heroism,  victory,  and  sacrifice  to 
duty  performed  by  various  officers  of  the 
Navy,  and  thus  stimulate  patriotism  and  a 
pride  in  their  profession. 

The  beauty  of  the  Naval  Academy — and  it 
is  a  beautiful  place — lies  primarily  in  its 
smooth  green  lawns,  its  fine  big  trees — ^great 
efforts  to  save  which  are  being  made — and 
in  the  blue  waters  of  the  bay  and  the  Severn 
with  its  steep  bluffs,  all  of  which  features 
combine  to  make  it  one  of  the  most  attractive 
spots  in  this  world  of  curs. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE   ENSIGN 

"  Men  mean  more  than  guns  in  the  rating  of 
ships'' — Paul  Jones. 

The  midsliipman,  whose  work,  play,  and 
surroundings  have  been  traced  in  this  book, 
as  the  end  of  his  four  years  draws  nearer, 
becomes  more  and  more  impatient  to  have  the 
days  speed  by,  the  final  examinations  over, 
and  June  Week  present.  The  routine  has 
been  unrelenting  and,  though  he  has  enjoyed 
his  academic  life,  still  he  longs  for  the  in- 
creased freedom  that  he  will  have  as  a  com- 
missioned oflScer,  and  for  the  time  when  he 
can  apply  in  practice  all  that  he  has  learned 
from  study  and  drill. 

On  Friday  of  June  Week,  at  ten  in  the 

morning,  the  midshipman  is  graduated  with 
299 


300  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

the  awarding  of  his  diploma  by  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  or  even  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Stirring  patriotic  addresses 
from  the  Secretary  or  President,  as  the  case 
may  be,  and  from  one  of  the  prominent  men 
who  compose  the  Board  of  Visitors,^  com- 
plete the  exercises,  and  the  midshipman,  now 
an  ensign,  makes  his  final  preparation  for 
leaving  the  Academy.  Prior  thereto,  how- 
ever, he  takes  part  with  his  class  in  a  snake 
dance  on  the  armory  floor,  throwing  away 
his  midshipman's  cap  and  singing,  "No  more 
rivers,  no  more  rivers  to  cross."  That 
evening  at  the  dance — June  Ball — which  is 
given  in  his  honour  by  the  new  first  class, 
the  graduate  dons  for  the  first  time  the  full 
evening  dress  of  the  commissioned  officer 
of  the  United  States  Navy  with  its   broad 

'  The  composition  of  the  Board  of  Visitors  has  varied 
greatly  from  time  to  time.  By  the  Naval  Appropriation 
Act  of  19 16,  this  Board  is  composed  of  seven  persons 
appointed  by  the  President,  two  Senators,  three  Members 
of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  the  chairmen  of 
the  Committees  on  Naval  Affairs  of  the  Senate  and 
the  House,  the  last  two  being  ex-officio  members  of  the 
Board. 


I 


The  Ensign  301 

ensign's  stripe,  which  at  that  time  seems  to 
give  him  greater  pride  than  anything  his 
life  had  held  before. 

The  law  provides  that  midshipmen  upon 
graduation  shall  be  commissioned  ensigns 
in  the  Navy  or  shall  be  assigned  by  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy  to  fiU  vacancies  in  the 
lowest  commissioned  grades  of  the  Marine 
or  the  Staff  Corps  of  the  Navy.  In  accord- 
ance with  this  law  ten  midshipmen  of  the 
class  graduating  in  June,  191 5,  were  com- 
missioned second  lieutenants  in  the  Marine 
Corps.  Thus  far  no  appointments  direct 
have  been  made  to  the  Pay  Corps,  the  only 
other  corps  to  which  graduates  woiild  logi- 
cally be  appointed. 

This  graduating  class  of  1915  comprised 
244  members  upon  entrance.  Upon  gradua- 
tion there  remained  but  180  members,  and, 
out  of  this  number,  ten  received  commissions 
in  the  Marine  Corps  while  seven  were  re- 
turned to  civil  life  because  of  physical  dis- 
qualifications. Thus  out  of  the  original 
244    midshipmen    in    the    class    the    Navy 


302  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

obtained  1 63  ensigns.  ^  This  67  per  cent,  com- 
missioned of  those  entering  is  about  the  aver- 
age output  of  the  Academy.  After  leave 
of  absence  that  varies  from  two  weeks  to 
one  month  the  graduate  reports  for  duty  to 
the  vessel  to  which  he  has  been  assigned. 
Sometimes  an  ensign  is  directed  to  report  to 
the  Pacific  Coast,  but  generally  of  late  years 
the  assignment  is  to  a  vessel  of  the  battle- 
ship or  destroyer  squadrons  at  the  summer 
base,  Narragansett  Bay.  The  ensign  is  soon 
given  his  particular  station  as  a  part  of  the 
organization  that  makes  the  vessels  of  our 
Navy  efficient  fighting  machines.  This  sta- 
tion will  be  that  of  a  junior  division  officer 
in  a  turret  or  intermediate  gun,  the  torpedo, 
fire   control,   or   navigator's   division,   or   in 

^  The  class  of  midshipmen  that  graduated  on  June  2, 
1916,  entered  with  265  members.  At  graduation  it  num- 
bered 177,  and  after  graduation  3  resigned,  6  were  placed 
under  observation  for  three  months  in  the  hope  that  they 
might,  under  special  treatment,  overcome  disqualifying 
physical  defects,  6  were  commissioned  as  second  lieutenants 
in  the  Marine  Corps,  and  162  received  commissions  as  en- 
signs in  the  line  of  the  Navy.  The  percentages  for  this 
class  are  thus  67  for  completing  the  course,  and  61  for  the 
ensigns  received  by  the  line  of  the  Navy. 


The  Ensign  303 

one  of  the  three  divisions  of  the  engineering 
department. 

With  graduation  from  the  Academy  has 
come  no  real  let  down  in  work  for  the  former 
midshipman,  now  the  ensign;  but  instead, 
hard  work,  consuming  many  hours  day  and 
night,  for  he  must  win  a  place  in  the  Navy 
and  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  officers,  a  place 
that  can  be  gained  only  by  the  hardest  and 
most  conscientious  service  that  can  be  given. 

Advancement  in  grade  comes  early,  for,  in 
but  three  years  after  graduation,  he  becomes 
a  lieutenant  (junior  grade),  a  position  and 
rank  that  he  will  retain  a  much  longer  time. 
He  must  pass  a  long  written  professional 
examination  as  well  as  a  rigid  physical  ex- 
amination before  any  advancement.  Shorter 
physical  examinations  given  each  year  serve 
to  keep  him  in  touch  with  his  physical  condi- 
tion. His  pay  is  sufficient  to  keep  him  from 
financial  worry,  and  by  offering  such  a  stipend 
the  country  shows  that  it  expects  the  major 
part  of  his  time  to  be  spent  upon  improving 
himself  in  the  duties  of  his  profession.     The 


304  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

salary  at  sea  amounts  to  $1870  per  year, 
which,  three  years  after  the  date  of  the  re- 
cipient's graduation  from  the  Academy,  upon 
his  promotion  to  a  Heutenancy  (jimior  grade) 
is  raised  to  $2200  per  year.  What  a  jump 
in  pay  a  day  after  graduation  brings,  $600 
to  $1870  per  year! 

The  Navy  watches  the  officer's  career 
closely  by  means  of  reports  made  by  his 
seniors  every  six  months.  These  reports  of 
"fitness"  cover  every  detail  of  the  officer's 
character,  industry,  and  ability.  They  form 
the  guide  for  the  future  assignments  and 
preferments  and  act  as  an  incentive  to  every 
officer  for  the  constant  improvement  of  him- 
self in  his  profession  in  the  opinion  of  his 
fellow  officers.  If  he  is  ever  to  win  the 
coveted  four-starred  blue  flag,  he  must  do 
his  level  best  at  all  times  and  in  all  positions. 

The  delight  of  doing  things  rather  than  of 
studying  how  they  ought  to  be  done  from 
dry  text-books  is  very  real,  and  the  young 
ensign  finds  that  his  profession  is  an  interest- 
ing one,  quite  free  from  the  sameness  that 


The  Ensign  305 

attaches  to  so  many  of  the  vocations  of  civil- 
ian life.  While  he  may  feel  that,  being  just 
from  the  Academy,  he  knows  much  more  than 
officers  on  board  ship,  who  may  be  a  little 
rusty  in  the  theory  of  gunnery  or  machinery, 
yet  he  is  shortly  convinced  that  his  freshly 
acquired  knowledge  is  not  as  ready  of  applica- 
tion as  it  is  in  the  hands  of  the  experienced 
officers  with  whom  he  is  associated.  Yet  he 
has  the  advantage  of  them  in  many  ways  and 
will  be  able  to  assist  and  become  a  promoter 
of  efficiency  and  happiness,  if  he  but  applies 
the  learning  he  has  acquired  while  at  the 
Naval  Academy.  The  young  officer  faces 
at  once  that  difficult  problem,  the  handHng 
of  men.  To  solve  it  successfully  he  must 
apply  the  principles  taught  at  the  Academy. 
He  remembers  that  these  principles  were 
succinctly  stated  as  "the  first  attributes  of 
an  officer  are  good  manners,  coolness,  self- 
control,  and  that  leadership,  an  essential,  is 
based  fundamentally  on  proved  superiority. 
The  officer  must  be  first  in  everything  at  all 
times." 


3o6  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

The  ensign  feels  that  he  must  ever  guard 
the  sacred  laws  of  naval  discipline  that  have 
been  taught  him  so  carefully  both  by  precept 
and  by  example  at  Annapolis,  and  that  he 
must  prevent  any  trifling  therewith.  It  is 
the  Navy's  sheet  anchor,  and  if  ever  lost, 
the  lack  of  this  discipline  will  be  the  Navy's 
ruin,  and  with  it  the  ruin  of  our  nation.  The 
complete  loyalty  and  good  feeling  that  now 
exists  between  the  officers  and  men  must  be 
maintained  at  all  hazards.  ^ 

The  young  officer  must  cultivate  the  valu- 
able habit  of  Admiral  Farragut,  who  stated 
"there  are  comparatively  few  men  from 
whom  one  could  not  learn  something  and 
that  a  naval  officer  should  always  be  adding 
to  his  knowledge;  it  will  enable  him  to  be 
more  useful  some  day;  it  is  hard  to  say  what 
a  naval  officer  might  not  have  to  do."  Far- 
ragut never  lost  sight  of  this  duty  of  pro- 
fessional acquirement.  He  observed  every 
harbour  visited  with  regard  to  its  defence 

'  Adapted  from  Rear  Admiral  Cradock's  Whispers 
from  the  Fleet,  p.  464. 


AT  ELEMENTARY  TARGET  PRACTICE 


The  Ensign  307 

by  sea  or  land.  This  habit  has  been  neg- 
lected by  some  great  men  and  always  to 
their  regret.  Earl  St.  Vincent,  when  plan- 
ning an  attack  upon  Brest,  said  to  his  secre- 
tary: "Had  Captain  Jervis  (meaning  himself) 
surveyed  Brest  when  he  visited  it  in  1774, 
in  1800  Lord  St.  Vincent  would  not  have 
been  in  want  of  information." 

The  futiire  offers  to  the  graduates  much 
in  opportunities  for  improving  the  service. 
The  guns  in  use  are  becoming  bigger  year 
by  year,  but  the  science  of  metallurgy  is 
already  strained  to  the  breaking  point  to 
produce  steel  forgings  of  requisite  uniformity 
and  strength  for  such  guns.  Masters  of 
gun  design  are  needed,  and  these  gun  design- 
ers must  come  from  the  graduates  of  the 
Naval  Academy.  If  one's  specialty  be  not 
ordnance,  there  are  a  sufficiency  of  other 
branches  of  the  naval  profession  available 
for  minds  that  are  capable  of  delivering 
results.  Marine  engineering  is  not  a  finished 
art  by  any  means  and  improvements  in 
propelling  machinery,  in  the  power  supply, 


3o8  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

in  gas  engines,  and  the  like  are  as  needed  as 
they  are  in  ordnance  and  gunnery.  As  has 
been  noted  in  the  chapter  on  postgraduate 
schooling,  no  selections  are  made  for  the 
construction  corps  until  the  class  has  been 
at  sea  at  least  a  year  and  a  half.  The  ensign 
who  desires  a  postgraduate  course  special- 
izes in  ordnance  and  engineering  and  is 
selected  for  these  courses  after  three  years 
of  sea  experience.  As  the  officer  grows  older 
in  his  profession,  the  necessity  for  the  other 
postgraduate  education,  that  in  strategy 
and  tactics,  given  at  the  Naval  War  College 
at  Newport,  R.  I.,  becomes  more  and  more 
apparent,  and  accordingly  he  spends  one  year 
at  least  there  in  study  that  gives  him  the 
broadened  view  that  commanders  of  squad- 
rons must  have. 

The  training  in  international  law  and  diplo- 
macy that  is  offered  by  the  academic  course 
finds  its  everyday  application  even  more  fre- 
quently in  the  case  of  the  officers  of  our  gun- 
boats and  light  cruisers  than  in  the  case 
of   the   battleship   commanders.     The   light 


The  Ensign  309 

cruiser  commander's  role  in  foreign  waters 
is  a  difficult  one  both  in  peace  and  in  war. 
Trying  political  problems  that  involve  inter- 
national relations  constantly  arise  and  he 
must  settle  them  immediately  and  alone, 
basing  his  decisions  upon  the  law  and  prece- 
dents that  he  has  learned  at  Annapolis. 
Naval  officers  in  their  calling  to  maintain 
peace  have  many  difficult  situations  to 
handle,  and  for  this,  the  many-sided  educa- 
tion of  the  Academy  and  of  the  cruising  in 
all  parts  of  the  world,  with  the  broadening 
influence  that  comes  from  contact  with  the 
big  men  of  the  nations  of  the  world,  should 
eminently  fit  them.  History  shows  how 
well  this  duty  has  been  done  in  the  past  and 
the  news  of  the  present  day  indicates  that 
affairs  in  Nicaragua,  Haiti,  and  San  Domingo 
are  being  conducted  on  the  plan  that  makes 
for  contentment  and  peace.  The  Samoan 
and  Boxer  troubles  of  recent  date  showed 
the  Navy  at  the  front  in  taking  prompt  and 
correct  initiative  with  respect  to  the  prob- 
lems presented.     The  record  of  the  multi- 


3IO  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

tudinous  situations  that  have  arisen  in  both 
peace  and  war  is  an  interesting  one  and  famil- 
iarity with  it  makes  the  ensign  ambitious 
to  continue  the  example  set  him  by  officers 
of  the  Navy. 

The  Naval  Academy  course  furnishes 
the  young  officer  with  the  viewpoint  of  an 
educated  man  and  with  the  general  wide 
scope  of  information  necessary  for  the  man 
serving  with  the  complicated  mechanisms 
of  vessels  of  the  Navy.  The  ground  work 
in  all  the  various  sciences  he  has,  together 
with  an  appreciation  of  the  difficulties  and 
obstacles  that  must  be  overcome  in  order  to 
reach  any  development.  What  ever  duty 
he  has  to  perform,  his  education  has  been 
sufficient  to  give  him  the  start  and  to  indicate 
to  him  where  he  can  search  out  the  details. 
Courageous  men  and  men  of  great  ability 
as  seamen  and  with  the  requisite  physical 
health  and  endurance  can  doubtless  be  found 
among  the  personnel  of  our  all  too  small 
merchant  marine,  but,  without  the  education 
of  the  Naval  Academy,  such  men  will  be 


^ 


»'  '»'' 


I  ■■i'-j^.m«<«i  M'  b 


The  Ensign  311 

utterly  lost  on  board  the  intricate  modem 
ship-of-war.  The  sense  of  and  the  realiza- 
tion of  the  responsibility  of  the  claims  upon 
and  the  duties  of  those  chosen  as  leaders, 
with  the  ideas  of  the  organization  and  the 
discipline  of  a  ship  of  the  line  that  is  necessary 
to  prevent  such  a  vessel  from  becoming  a 
helpless  mass  of  steel,  wood,  and  brass,  can 
come  only  from  the  years  spent  in  imbibing 
the  teachings  and  discipline  of  the  Naval 
Academy  and  of  the  practice  cruises. 

The  Academy  has  had  many  setbacks  in 
its  lifetime  but  thus  far  has  survived  them 
all,  and  the  belief  is  apparently  well  founded 
that  it  is  now  a  recognized,  necessary  part 
of  our  national  life  and  as  such  will  be  a 
permanent  part.  The  institution  had  no 
easy  task  in  starting,  and  its  seventy-one 
years  of  academic  life  have  not  been  spent  in 
cruising  under  all  plain  sail  and  stunsails 
to  a  favouring  wind,  but  too  often  in  cruising 
under  reefed  topsails,  in  weathering  many 
adverse  gales  directed  at  its  very  existence 
by  many  prominent  people.     That  Farragut 


312  Life  at  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

and  Porter  in  advocating  the  establishment 
of  this  school  were  wise,  and  wiser  than  their 
time,  has  been  proven  by  the  careers  of  the 
graduates  of  this  Academy  to  whom  is  due 
the  consistent  increased  efficiency  of  the 
ships,  men,  and  guns  of  our  Navy.  For  the 
country  to  be  prepared  to  maintain  an  honour- 
able place  it  is  indeed  necessary  that  the 
school  should  continue  and  should  educate 
men  capable  of  handling  men  and  ships  and 
fleets  as  well  as  of  designing  ordnance, 
machinery,  and  ships. 

"  Whatever  new  appliances,  whatever  means 
of  mutual  destruction  science  supplies,  the  lesson 
taught  by  the  story  of  all  naval  war  will  remain 
true.  Victory  will  depend  not  on  elaborate  me- 
chanical structures  and  appliances,  but  on  the 
men,  and  will  be  the  reward  for  long  training, 
iron  discipline,  calm  enduring  courage,  and  the 
leadership  that  can  inspire  confidence,  command, 
self-sacrificing  obedience,  divine  an  enemy's  plans, 
and  decide  swiftly  and  resolutely  on  the  way  in 
which  they  are  to  be  frustrated." — Hale. 

The  mission  of  the  United  States  Naval 
Academy  and  of  the  midshipman's  "Life  at 


The  Ensiofn 


313 


the  U.  S.  Naval  Academy,"  is  then  to  produce 
officers  of  the  caHbre  that  will  win  the  victory 
in  the  final  test  of  war  through  their  own 
knowledge  and  their  success  in  training  men 
of  the  fleet  to  the  required  standard  of  men 
second  to  none  in  the  world. 

"  From  knowledge  comes  command  of  the  sea.  " 


r 


ADMIRAL  S   FLAG 
THE   GOAL    OF   THE  NAVAL    OFFICER 


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APPENDIX  II 

REGULATIONS  GOVERNING  THE  ADMISSION  OF 
CANDIDATES  INTO  THE  NAVAL  ACAD- 
EMY AS  MIDSHIPMEN 

GENERAL   REMARKS 

1.  There  being  no  provision  whatever  for  the  pay- 
ment of  the  travelling  expenses  of  rejected  candidates  for 
admission,  no  candidate  should  fail  to  provide  himself  in 
advance  with  the  means  of  returning  home,  in  case  of  his 
rejection  before  either  of  the  examining  boards,  as  other- 
wise he  may  be  put  to  considerable  inconvenience.' 

2.  It  is  suggested  to  all  candidates  for  admission  to  the 
Naval  Academy,  that,  before  leaving  their  places  of  resi- 
dence for  Annapolis,  they  should  cause  themselves  to  be 
thoroughly  examined  by  a  competent  physician,  particularly 
regarding  eyesight,  hearing,  and  heart  trouble;  and  by 
a  teacher  or  instructor  in  good  standing.  A  defect  such 
as  varicocele,  which  is  ordinarily  removable  by  operation, 
should  be  remedied  prior  to  appearing  at  the  Naval  Acad- 
emy for  physical  examination.  By  such  an  examination 
any  serious  physical  disqualification  or  deficiency  in 
mental  preparation  would  be  revealed,  and  the  candidate 
probably  spared  the  expense  and  trouble  of  a  useless 
journey  and  the  mortification  of  rejection.  It  should  be 
understood  that  the  informal  examination  herein  recom- 


'  Note  by  Author.  Special  attention  is  directed  to 
the  entrance  deposit  of  $300  required  of  every  midshipman, 
P-  348- 

325 


326  Appendix  II 

mended  is  solely  for  the  convenience  and  benefit  of  the 
candidate  himself,  and  can  in  no  manner  aflfect  the  decision 
of  the  examining  boards  at  Annapolis. 

3.  A  sound  body  and  constitution,  suitable  preparation, 
good  natural  capacity,  an  aptitude  for  study,  industrious 
habits,  perseverance,  an  obedient  and  orderly  disposition, 
and  a  correct  moral  deportment  are  such  essential  qualifi- 
cations that  candidates  knowingly  deficient  in  any  of  these 
respects  should  not,  as  many  do,  subject  themselves  and 
their  friends  to  the  chances  of  future  mortification  and 
disappointment  by  accepting  appointments  at  the  Naval 
Academy  and  entering  on  a  career  which  they  can  not 
successfully  pursue. 

4.  The  selection  of  candidates,  by  competitive  exami- 
nation or  otherwise,  for  nomination  from  any  congressional 
district,  is  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  Member  of  Congress 
entitled  to  the  appointment,  and  all  applications  for 
appointment  or  inquiries  relative  to  competitive  examina- 
tions should  be  addressed  to  the  Congressman  representing 
the  congressional  district  in  which  the  vacancy  exists. 

Copies  of  the  entrance  regulations  showing  a  syllabus 
of  the  first  year's  work  at  the  Naval  Academy  and  speci- 
men examination  questions  may  be  obtained  on  applica- 
tion to  the  Bureau  of  Navigation,  Navy  Department,  or 
to  the  Superintendent  of  the  Naval  Academy;  and  as  soon 
as  nominated  a  copy  of  each  of  these  publications  will 
be  forwarded  direct  to  each  candidate  in  order  that  he 
may  spend  his  time  profitably  at  his  local  school,  and  be 
better  prepared  to  pursue  his  course  at  the  Naval  Academy 
successfully. 

5.  Special  attention  is  called  to  the  physical  require- 
ments of  candidates,  pp.  332  and  333. 

NOMINATION 

6.  The  students  at  the  Naval  Academy  are  styled 
midshipmen. 


Appendix  II  327 


7.  Three  midshipmen  are  allowed  for  each  Senator, 
Representative,  and  Delegate  in  Congress,  two  for  the 
District  of  Columbia,  and  fifteen  appointed  each  year 
from  the  United  States  at  large.  The  appointments  from 
the  District  of  Columbia  and  fifteen  each  year  at  large  are 
made  by  the  President.  It  is  the  custom  of  Presidents  to 
give  the  appointments  of  midshipmen  at  large  to  the  sons 
of  oflBcers  of  the  Army  and  Navy  for  the  reason  that 
officers,  owing  to  the  nature  of  their  duties,  are  usually  not 
in  a  position  to  establish  permanent  residence.  The 
vacancies  from  the  District  of  Columbia  are  filled  by  com- 
petitive examination  of  candidates  residing  in  the  District. 
The  selection  of  candidates,  by  competitive  examination 
or  otherwise,  for  nomination  for  vacancies  in  the  quota 
of  Senators,  Representatives,  and  Delegates  in  Con- 
gress is  entirely  in  the  hands  of  each  Senator,  Repre- 
sentative, and  Delegate  in  Congress  having  a  vacancy; 
and  all  apphcations  for  appointments  or  inquiries  rela- 
tive to  competitive  examinations  should  be  addressed 
accordingly. 

8.  The  law  authorizes  the  appointment  of  twenty-five 
enlisted  men  each  year  to  be  selected  as  a  result  of  a  com- 
petitive examination  of  enlisted  men  of  the  Navy  and 
Marine  Corps  who  have  been  in  the  service  at  least  one 
year  and  who  are  under  twenty  years  of  age  by  August 
15th  of  the  year  it  is  desired  to  enter.  The  mental  and 
physical  requirements  for  these  candidates  are  the  same 
as  for  other  candidates  for  midshipmen.  The  competitive 
examination  of  these  enhsted  men  is  held  on  the  third 
Tuesday  in  April  of  each  year  and  is  the  regular  examina- 
tion given  to  candidates  nominated  for  vacancies  for 
midshipmen. 

9.  One  midshipman  is  allowed  from  Porto  Rico,  who 
must  be  a  native  of  that  island.  The  appointment  is 
made  by  the  President  on  the  recommendation  of  the 
governor  of  Porto  Rico.     One  midshipman  for  each  class 


328  Appendix  II 

is  allowed  from  the  Philippine  Islands  upon  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  Governor  General. 

10.  The  course  for  midshipmen  is  four  years.  Exami- 
nations on  the  ground  covered  are  held  at  the  end  of  each 
academic  term.  During  the  summer,  midshipmen  of  the 
first,  second,  and  third  classes  go  to  sea  for  about  three 
months. 

11.  Midshipmen  after  graduation  are  commissioned 
as  ensigns  in  the  Navy,  and  occasionally  to  fill  vacancies 
in  the  Marine  Corps  and  in  certain  of  the  staff  corps  of 
the  Navy. 

12.  "Hereafter  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  shall,  as 
soon  as  possible  after  the  ist  day  of  June  of  each  year 
preceding  the  graduation  of  midshipmen  in  the  succeed- 
ing year,  notify  in  writing  each  Senator,  Representative, 
and  Delegate  in  Congress  of  any  vacancy  that  will  exist 
at  the  Naval  Academy  because  of  such  graduation,  or  that 
may  occur  for  other  reasons,  and  which  he  shall  be  en- 
titled to  fill  by  nomination  of  a  candidate  and  one  or  more 
alternates  therefor.  The  nomination  of  a  candidate  and 
alternate  or  alternates  to  fill  said  vacancy  shaU  be  made 
upon  the  recommendation  of  the  Senator,  Representative, 
or  Delegate,  if  said  recommendation  is  made  by  the  4th 
day  of  March  of  the  year  following  that  in  which  said 
notice  in  writing  is  given,  but  if  it  is  not  made  by  that 
time  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  shall  fill  the  vacancy  by 
appointment  of  an  actual  resident  of  the  State,  congres- 
sional district,  or  Territory,  as  the  case  may  be,  in  which 
the  vacancy  will  exist,  who  shall  have  been  for  at  least 
two  years  immediately  preceding  the  date  of  his  appoint- 
ment an  actual  and  bona-fide  resident  of  the  State,  con- 
gressional district,  or  Territory,  in  which  the  vacancy 
will  exist  and  of  the  legal  qualification  under  the  law  as 
now  provided.  In  cases  where  by  reason  of  a  vacancy 
in  the  membership  of  the  Senate  or  House  of  Represen- 
tatives, or  by  the  death  or  declination  of  a  candidate  for 


Appendix  II  329 

admission  to  the  Academy,  there  occurs  or  is  about  to 
occur  at  the  Academy  a  vacancy  for  any  State,  district, 
or  Territory  that  can  not  be  filled  by  nomination  as  herein 
provided,  the  same  may  be  filled  as  soon  thereafter  and 
before  the  final  entrance  examination  for  the  year  as  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  may  determine." — {Act  approved 
June  2Q,  IQ06.) 

13.  Candidates  allowed  for  congressional  districts, 
for  Territories,  and  for  the  District  of  Columbia  must  be 
actual  residents  of  the  districts  or  Territories,  respectively, 
from  which  they  are  nominated. 

14.  All  candidates  must,  at  the  time  of  their  examina- 
tion for  admission,  be  between  the  ages  of  i6  and  20 
years.  A  candidate  is  eligible  for  examination  on  the 
day  he  becomes  16  and  is  ineligible  on  the  day  he  becomes 
20  years  of  age. 

EXAMINATION 

15.  "All  candidates  for  admission  into  the  Academy 
shall  he  examined  according  to  such  regulations  and  at  such 
stated  times  as  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  may  prescribe. 
Candidates  rejected  at  such  examinations  shall  not  hare  the 
privilege  of  another  examination  for  admission  to  the  same 
class  unless  recommended  by  the  board  of  examiners," — 
(Rev.  Stat.,  §  75/5.) 

16.  When  any  candidate  who  has  been  nominated 
upon  the  recommendation  of  a  Senator,  Member,  or  Dele- 
gate of  the  House  of  Representatives  is  found,  upon 
examination,  to  be  physically  or  mentally  disqualified  for 
admission,  the  Senator,  Member,  or  Delegate  shall  be 
notified  to  recommend  another  candidate,  who  shall  be 
examined  according  to  the  provisions  of  the  preceding 
section. 

17.  Beginning  with  the  year  1913,  but  two  examina- 
tions for  admission  of  midshipmen  to  the  Naval  Academy 


330  Appendix  II 

will  be  held  each  year,  as  follows:  The  first  examination 
to  be  held  on  the  third  Tuesday  in  February,  the  second 
on  the  third  Tuesday  in  April,  under  the  supervision  of 
the  Civil  Service  Commission,  at  four  hundred  and  eight 
points,  covering  the  entire  country,  and  candidates  may 
select  their  place  for  examination  from  these  points. 
All  those  qualifying  mentally  who  are  entitled  to  appoint- 
ment in  order  of  nomination  will  be  notified  by  the  Super- 
intendent of  the  Naval  Academy  when  to  report  at  the 
academy  for  physical  examination,  and  if  physically 
quaUfied  will  be  appointed. 

Candidates  may  be  examined  at  any  of  the  places  at 
which  examinations  are  held. 

Senators  and  Representatives  are  requested,  when 
designating  their  nominees  to  give  the  place  at  which  it 
is  desired  they  should  be  examined. 

1 8.  Alternates  are  given  the  privilege  ofj  reporting 
for  mental  examinations  at  the  same  time  with  the 
principal. 

19.  No  examination  will  be  held  later  than  the  third 
Tuesday  in  April.  The  large  number  of  midshipmen  to 
be  instructed  and  drilled  makes  this  rule  necessary,"and 
it  is  to  the  great  advantage  of  the  new  midshipmen  them- 
selves. The  summer  months  are  utilized  in  preliminary 
instruction  in  professional  branches  and  drills,  such  as 
handling  boats  under  oars  and  sails,  and  in  seamanship, 
gunnery,  and  infantry  drills.  These  practical  exercises 
form  excellent  groundwork  for  the  academic  course. 

20.  The  examination  papers  used  in  all  examinations 
are  prepared  at  the  Naval  Academy  and  the  examinations 
of  candidates  are  finally  passed  upon  by  the  academic 
board.  No  candidate  shall  be  admitted  unless,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  academic  board,  he  shows  the  requisite 
mental  qualifications. 

21.  Under  the  law,  candidates  failing  to  pass  the  en- 
trance examination  can  not  be  allowed  another  examination 


Appendix  II  331 

/or  admission  to  the  same  class  unless  recommended  for  re- 
examination by  the  academic  board. 

22.  Candidates  who  have  successfully  passed  the 
entrance  examination  in  a  previous  year  shaU  not  be 
required  to  take  another  mental  examination  for  admis- 
sion, in  the  event  of  reappointment. 

23.  The  Civil  Service  Commission  merely  conducts 
the  examination  of  candidates  whose  names  have  been 
furnished  by  the  Navy  Department.  All  correspondence 
relative  to  the  nomination  and  examination  of  candidates 
should  be  addressed  to  the  Bureau  of  Navigation,  Navy 
Department,  Washington,  D.  C. 

24.  Candidates  will  be  required  to  enter  the  academy 
immediately  after  passing  the  prescribed  mental  and  physical 
examinations,  or  at  such  times  as  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  may  designate. 

25.  No  leaves  of  absence  will  be  granted  to  midshipmen 
of  the  fourth  class. 

26.  Candidates  will  be  examined  physically  at  the 
Naval  Academy  by  a  board  composed  of  three  medical 
officers  of  the  Navy,  whose  decision  will  be  final. 

Physical  examinations  will  habitually  be  held  at  the 
following  times: 

For  candidates  mentally  examined  in  February,  April, 
or  in  a  previous  year,  at  a  date  designated  by  the  Super- 
intendent of  the  Naval  Academy,  who  will  inform  each 
candidate  when  to  present  himself  for  physical  examina- 
tion. The  usual  date  for  the  physical  examination  is  the 
first  week  in  June  of  each  year. 

MORAL   REQUIREMENTS 

27.  Candidates  must  be  of  good  moral  character. 
No  candidate  who  has  been  dismissed  for  "inaptitude"  in 
accordance  with  the  act  of  Congress  approved  April  Q,  igo6, 
shall  be  reappointed  or  allowed  to  re-enter  the  Naval  Academy. 


332  Appendix  II 

PHYSICAL   REQUIREMENTS 

28.  Candidates  are  required  to  be  of  good  moral 
character,  physically  sound,  well  formed,  and  of  robust 
constitution. 

29.  Any  one  of  the  following  conditions  will  be  sufiS- 
cient  to  cause  the  rejection  of  a  candidate,  viz. : 

(a)  Feeble  constitution,  inherited  or  acquired. 

(b)  Retarded  development. 

(c)  Impaired  general  health. 

(d)  Decided  cachexia,  diathesis,  or  predisposition; 
anaemia,  from  malaria  or  from  intestinal  parasites,  as 
hookworm. 

(e)  Any  disease,  deformity,  or  result  of  injury  that 
would  impair  efficiency;  such  as — 

(m)  Weak  or  disordered  intellect. 

(eb)  Cutaneous  or  communicable  disease. 

(ec)  Unnatural  curvature  of  the  spine,  torticollis,  or 
other  deformity . 

(ed)  Inefficiency  of  either  of  the  extremities  or  large 
articulations  from  any  cause. 

(ef)  Epilepsy  or  other  convulsions  within  five  years. 

(/)  Impaired  vision,  disease  of  the  organs  of  vision, 
imperfect  colour  sense;  visual  acuteness  must  be  normal, 
i-  e.,  f§  for  each  eye  without  the  aid  of  glasses.  There 
shall  be  no  deviation  from  this  standard. 

(g)  Impaired  hearing  or  disease  of  either  ear.  The 
organs  of  hearing,  both  the  conductive  apparatus  (outer 
and  middle  ear)  and  the  percipient  apparatus  (internal 
ear),  must  be  free  from  disease.  In  testing  the  hearing  of 
the  candidate,  the  voice,  the  ticking  of  a  watch,  and,  if 
practicable,  Politzer's  acoumeter  shall  be  employed. 

The  voice  is  a  more  reliable  method  of  determining  the 
acuteness  of  hearing  than  the  ticking  of  an  ordinary  watch, 
as  it  allows  for  variations  in  hearing,  with  the  modifica- 
tions produced  by  changes  in  pitch  and  tone.     Hearing 


Appendix  II  333 

in  each  ear  must  be  normally  acute  to  the  spoken  and 
whispered  voice.  In  examining  the  acuteness  of  the 
hearing  with  the  voice,  one  ear  of  the  candidate  should 
be  closed  while  the  other  ear  is  being  examined,  and  his 
eyes  should  be  covered  to  prevent  lip  reading.  The 
ticking  of  an  ordinary  watch  should  be  heard  a  distance 
of  forty  inches. 

(h)  Chronic  nasal  catarrh,  ozaena,  polypi,  or  great 
enlargement  of  the  tonsils. 

(i)  Impediment  of  speech  to  such  an  extent  as  to  impair 
efficiency  in  the  performance  of  duty. 

(k)  Disease  of  heart  or  lungs  or  decided  indications  of 
liability  to  cardiac  or  pulmonary  affections. 

(/)  Hernia,  complete  or  incomplete,  and  undescended 
testis. 

(w)  Varicocele,  sarcocele,  hydrocele,  stricture,  fistula, 
heemorrhoids,  or  varicose  veins  of  lower  Hmbs. 

(n)  Phimosis  and  diseases  of  the  genito-urinary  organs. 

(0)  Ingrowing  nails,  bunions,  cross  or  hammer  toes, 
flat  feet  or  other  deformity  of  feet. 

(p)  Loss  of  many  teeth,  or  teeth  generally  unsound. 
Marked  overbite,  or  lack  of  occlusion  of  jaws.  There 
should  be  at  least  eight  opposing  molars,  two  on  each  side 
in  each  jaw.  All  defective  teeth  should  have  permanent 
filUngs.  Much  time  can  be  saved  by  previous  attention 
to  this  requirement. 

30.  Attention  will  also  be  paid  to  the  stature  of  the 
candidate,  and  no  one  manifestly  vmder  size  for  his  age 
will  be  received  at  the  academy.  The  height  of  candidates 
for  admission  shall  not  be  less  than  5  feet  2  inches  between 
the  ages  of  16  and  18  years,  and  not  less  than  5  feet  4 
mches  between  the  ages  of  18  and  20  years;  and  the  mini- 
mum weight  at  16  years  of  age  shall  be  III  pounds,  with  an 
increase  of  not  less  than  3  pounds  for  each  additional 
year  or  fraction  of  a  year  over  one  half.  Any  marked 
deviation  in  the  height  and  weight  relative  to  the  age  of 


334  Appendix  II 

a  candidate  will  add  materially  to  the  consideration  for 
rejection. 

31.  Candidates  must  be  unmarried,  and  any  midship- 
man who  shall  marry,  or  who  shall  be  found  to  be  married, 
before  his  final  graduation,  shall  be  dismissed  from  the 
service. 

MENTAL   REQUIREMENTS 

32.  Candidates  will  be  examined  mentally  in  punctua- 
tion, spelling,  English  grammar,  geography.  United 
States  history,  arithmetic,  algebra  through  quadratic 
equations,  and  plane  geometry  (five  books  of  Chauvenet's 
geometry  or  equivalent).  Deficiency  in  any  one  of  these 
subjects  may  be  sufficient  to  insure  the  rejection  of  the 
candidate.  Maximum  mark  4.00;  passing  mark  2.50. 
Certificates  from  colleges  and  high  schools  will  not  be 
accepted  in  lieu  of  entrance  examinations.  All  candidates 
must  take  the  prescribed  mental  and  physical  examinations. 

GENERAL   CHARACTER   OF   THE   MENTAL   EXAMINATION 

33.  Reading  and  Writing. — Candidates  must  be 
able  to  read  understandingly,  and  with  proper  accent  and 
emphasis,  and  to  write  legibly,  neatly,  and  rapidly. 

34.  Spelling. — They  must  be  able  to  write,  from 
dictation,  a  list  of  not  more  than  100  selected  words,  or 
paragraphs  from  standard  pieces  of  English  literature, 
both  prose  and  poetry,  sufficient  in  number  to  test  fully 
their  qualifications  in  this  branch.  The  spelling  through- 
out the  examination  will  be  considered  in  marking  the 
papers.  The  academic  board  are  instructed  not  to  reject 
a  candidate  whose  only  deficiency  is  in  spelling  when  the 
mark  therefor  is  above  a  certain  figure,  to  be  fixed  by  the 
board,  subject  to  the  revision  of  the  department. 

35.  Punctuation  and  Capitals. — They  must  be 
familiar  with  the  rules  for  punctuation  and  for  the  use  of 


Appendix  II  335 

capitals.  In  order  to  test  their  knowledge,  sentences  may 
be  given  for  correction.  Punctuation  and  the  use  of 
capitals  throughout  the  examination  will  be  considered 
in  marking  papers. 

36.  Grammar. — Candidates  must  exhibit  thorough 
familiarity  with  English  grammar;  they  must  be  able  to 
analyze  and  parse  any  sentence  given,  showing  clearly  the 
relations  between  the  different  parts  of  speech,  and  giving 
the  rules  governing  those  relations.  The  subject  and 
predicate  in  the  sentence  must  be  given,  with  modifiers 
(if  any),  and  also  the  part  of  speech,  and  kind,  case,  voice, 
mood,  tense,  number,  person,  degree  of  comparison,  etc., 
as  the  case  may  be,  of  each  word,  and  its  relation  to  other 
words  in  the  sentence. 

They  must  be  able  to  define  the  terms  used  in  grammar 
a  number  of  which  maybe  given  as  a  test  of  their  knowledge. 

Sentences  containing  grammatical  mistakes  may  be 
given  for  correction. 

A  composition  on  one  of  three  subjects  will  be  required. 

Since  the  school  grammars  used  in  different  parts  of 
the  country  vary  among  themselves  in  their  treatment  of 
certain  words,  an  answer  approved  by  any  grammar 
of  good  repute  will  be  accepted. 

37.  Geography. — Candidates  will  be  required  to 
pass  a  satisfactory  examination  in  descriptive  geography^ 
particularly  of  our  own  country.  Questions  will  be  given 
under  the  following  heads:  The  definitions  of  latitude  and 
longitude  (including  problems  with  regard  to  differences 
of  time  between  places);  the  zones;  the  grand  divisions  of 
land  and  water ;  the  character  of  coast  lines ;  the  climate 
of  different  parts  of  the  United  States;  trade  winds;  the 
direction  and  position  of  important  mountain  chains  and 
the  locaUty  of  the  higher  peaks;  the  position  and  course 
of  the  principal  rivers,  their  tributaries,  and  the  bodies  of 
water  into  which  they  flow;  the  position  of  important 
seas,  bays,  gulfs,  and  arms  of  the  sea;  the  position  of 


336  Appendix  II 

independent  States,  their  boundaries  and  capital  cities; 
the  position  and  direction  of  great  peninsulas  and  the 
situation  of  important  and  prominent  capes,  straits, 
sounds,  channels,  and  the  most  important  canals;  great 
lakes  and  inland  seas;  position  and  political  connection  of 
important  islands  and  colonial  possessions;  location  of 
cities  of  historical,  political,  or  commercial  importance, 
attention  being  especially  called  to  the  rivers  and  bodies 
of  water  on  which  cities  are  situated;  the  course  of  a 
vessel  in  making  a  voyage  between  well-known  ports. 

The  candidate's  knowledge  of  the  geography  of  the 
United  States  can  not  be  too  full  or  specific  on  all  the  points 
referred  to  above.  Accurate  knowledge  will  also  be  re- 
quired of  the  position  of  the  country  with  reference  to 
other  States,  and  with  reference  to  latitude  and  longitude 
of  the  boundaries  and  relative  position  of  the  States  and 
Territories,  of  the  name  and  position  of  their  capitals,  and 
of  other  important  cities  and  towns. 

The  following  named  text -books  are  used  in  preparing 
examination  questions:  Maury's  New  Complete  Geography; 
Complete  Geography,  by  A.  E.  Fry;  Natural  Advanced 
Geography,  by  Redway  and  Hinman. 

38.  United  States  History. — The  examination  in 
this  branch  will  include  questions  concerning  the  early 
settlements  in  this  country;  the  forms  of  government 
in  the  colonies;  the  causes,  leading  events,  and  results  of 
wars;  and  prominent  events  in  the  history  of  our  Govern- 
ment since  its  foundation. 

The  following  named  text-books  are  used  in  preparing 
examination  questions:  A  Student's  History  of  the  United 
States,  by  Edward  Channing;  The  Students'  American 
History,  by  D.  H.  Montgomery;  A  School  History  of  the 
United  States,  by  John  Bach  McMaster. 

39.  Arithmetic. — The  candidate  will  be  required: 

To  express  In  figures  any  whole,  decimal,  or  mixed  num- 
ber; to  write  in  words  any  given  number;  to  perform  with 


Appendix  II  337 

faciKty  and  accuracy  the  various  operations  of  addition, 
subtraction,  multiplication,  and  division  of  whole  numbers, 
whether  abstract  or  compoimd,  and  to  use  with  facility 
the  tables  of  money,  weights,  and  measures  in  common 
use,  including  English  money. 

To  reduce  compound  numbers  from  one  denomination 
to  another,  and  to  express  them  as  decimals  or  fractions 
of  a  higher  or  lower  denomination;  to  state  the  number 
of  cubic  inches  in  a  gallon  and  the  relation  between  the 
troy  and  avoirdupois  povmds,  and  to  reduce  differences  of 
time  to  differences  of  longitude,  and  vice  versa. 

To  define  prime  and  composite  ntmibers;  to  give  the 
tests  of  divisibility  by  3,  5,  9,  ii,  25,  and  125;  to  resolve 
numbers  into  their  prime  factors,  and  to  find  the  least 
common  multiple  and  the  greatest  common  divisor  of 
large  as  well  as  of  small  numbers. 

To  be  familiar  with  all  the  processes  of  common  and 
decimal  fractions;  to  give  clearly  the  reasons  for  such  pro- 
cesses, and  to  be  able  to  use  the  contracted  methods  of 
multipUcation  and  division  given  in  the  ordinary  text-books 
on  arithmetic. 

To  define  ratio  and  proportion,  and  to  solve  problems 
in  simple  and  compound  proportion. 

To  solve  problems  involving  the  measurement  of  rect- 
angular surfaces  and  of  solids,  to  find  the  square  roots  and 
the  cube  roots  of  nimibers,  and  to  solve  simple  problems 
under  percentage,  interest,  and  discount. 

The  candidates  are  required  to  possess  such  a  thorough 
understanding  of  all  the  fundamental  operations  of  arith- 
metic as  will  enable  them  to  apply  the  various  principles 
to  the  solution  of  any  complex  problem  that  can  be  solved 
by  the  methods  of  arithmetic;  in  other  words,  they  must 
possess  such  a  complete  knowledge  of  arithmetic  as  will 
enable  them  to  proceed  at  once  to  the  higher  branches 
of  mathematics  without  further  study  of  arithmetic. 

The  required  ground  is  completely  covered  by  any  one 


338  Appendix  II 

of  the  following  text-books:  Advanced  Arithmetic,  by  G. 
A.  Wentworth  (first  i6  chapters) ;  A  High  School  Arithmetic, 
by  Wentworth  and  Hill;  Standard  Arithmetic,  by  William 
J.  Milne;  Arithmetic  in  Theory  and  Practice,  by  J.  Brook- 
Smith. 

40.  Algebra. — The  examination  in  algebra  will  in- 
clude questions  and  problems  upon  the  fundamental  rules, 
factoring,  greatest  common  divisor,  least  common  multiple, 
algebraic  fractions,  equations  of  the  first  degree  with  one 
or  more  unknown  quantities,  simplification  of  expressions 
involving  surds,  and  the  solution  and  theory  of  quadratic 
equations,  problems  involving  the  formation  of  simple  and 
quadratic  equations,  and  the  meaning  and  law  of  expo- 
nents, positive,  negative,  and  fractional.  The  requirements 
are  fully  expressed  in  Wentworth 's  College  Algebra  (Re- 
vised), first  14  chapters,  or  Wentworth 's  Elementary 
Algebra,  first  21  chapters;  Milne's  Academic  Algebra,  324 
pages. 

41.  Geometry. — In  geometry,  candidates  will  be 
required  to  give  accurate  definitions  of  terms  used  in  plane 
geometry,  to  demonstrate  any  proposition  of  plane  geo- 
metry as  given  in  the  ordinary  text-books,  and  to  solve 
simple  geometrical  problems,  either  by  a  construction 
or  by  an  application  of  algebra.  Either  of  the  following 
text-books  covers  the  ground  required  in  geometry:  Went- 
worth and  Hill's  Plane  and  Solid  Geometry  (5  books); 
Robbin's  Plane  Geometry;  Chauvenet's  Geometry  (5  books). 

42.  The  entrance  examination  used  in  April,  1916, 
for  the  purpose  of  determining  the  mental  quahfications 
of  candidates  for  admission  is  quoted  below  in  full. 


i 


Appendix  II  339 

PROGRAM  OF  ENTRANCE  EXAMINATIONS 


Time 

Subjects 

Sheet 

1st  day: 
3  hours 

I. 

Geometry  (9  a.m.  to  12  m.) 

(Intermission,  2  hours.) 

I 

3  hours 

2. 

Algebra  (2  to  5  p.m.) 

2 

2d  day: 

3  hours 

3- 

Arithmetic  (9  a.m.  to  12  m.)  . . . . 
(Intermission,  2  hours.) 

3 

20  minutes. . 
2  hours 

4- 

5- 

Spelling  (2  to  2.20  p.m.) 

Grammar  (2.20  to  4.20  p.m.)..  . . 

4 
5 

3d  day: 

2  hours 

6. 

Geography  (9  to  1 1  a.m.) 

(Intermission,  3  hours.) 

6 

2  hours 

7. 

United  States  History  (2  to  4  p.m.) 

7 

SAMPLE  ENTRANCE  EXAMINATION 

April,  IQ16 

First  Subject 

geometry 

[Time  allowed:  2  hours] 

I.  (a)  Define  (i)  isosceles  triangle,  (2)  trapeziimi, 
(3)  parallelogram,  (4)  mean  proportional,  (5)  regular 
polygon.  Given  two  straight  lines  intersecting  at  an 
angle  of  60  degrees,  indicate  the  locus  of  points  equidistant 
from  the  two  lines. 

(6)  The  sum  of  the  interior  angles  of  a  regular  polygon 
is  2700  degrees.     How  many  sides  has  the  polygon? 


340  Appendix  II 

The  medians  of  an  isosceles  triangle  are  i8  inches,  15 
inches,  and  15  inches.     Find  the  area  of  the  triangle. 

2.  (a)  Prove  that  the  sum  of  the  three  straight  lines 
drawn  from  any  point  within  a  triangle  to  the  three  ver- 
tices is  less  than  the  sum  and  greater  than  half  the  sum 
of  the  three  sides  of  the  triangle. 

(b)  Two  sides  of  a  parallelogram,  6  feet  and  8  feet  in 
length,  include  an  angle  of  45  degrees.  Find  its 
area. 

The  side  of  a  rhombus  is  5  feet  and  its  area  is  12  >^ 
square  feet.     What  are  its  angles? 

3.  (c)  The  sides  of  a  triangle  are  102,  104,  and  106 
feet.  Find  its  area.  Also  find  the  segments  into  which 
the  longest  side  is  divided  by  the  bisector  of  the  angle 
opposite. 

(b)  Prove  that  if  any  chord  is  drawn  through  a  fixed 
point  within  a  circle  the  product  of  the  segments  is  con- 
stant. If  the  segments  of  the  longest  chord  are  3  and  12, 
what  will  be  the  segments  of  the  shortest  chord? 

4.  (o)  On  the  surface  of  a  square  of  side  a  semicircles 
are  drawn  with  each  side  in  turn  as  diameter.  Find  the 
area  of  each  of  the  four  lobes  thus  formed. 

(b)  The  perimeter  of  a  polygon  is  p.  What  will  be 
the  perimeter  of  a  similar  polygon  having  twice  the 
area? 

The  area  of  a  circle  of  radius  a  is  trisected  by  two  con- 
centric circles.     Find  the  radii  of  these  circles. 

5.  (a)  Find  the  area  of  the  regular  octagon  inscribed 
in  a  circle  of  radius  c. 

(b)  A  square,  an  equilateral  triangle,  and  a  regular 
hexagon  have  the  same  perimeter,  namely,  36  feet.  Com- 
pare their  areas.     What  principle  is  here  illustrated? 


Appendix  II  341 

Second  Subject 

ALGEBRA 

[Time   allowed:    3    hours] 

1.  (a)  Reduce  to  simplest  terms: 

(x^+io:c+2i)  {xi—2j)  (x*+gx^+8i) 
{b)  Extract  the  square  root  of  y'+2yi — y^+J. 
Find  the  greatest  common  divisor  of  4a:'— 3a:*— 24X— 9 
and  8a;^— 2a;*  — 53.V— 39. 

2.  (a)  If  a  train  travels  a  miles  in  h  hours,  how  many 
feet  does  it  go  in  i  second? 

(b)  Solve  the  simultaneous  equations 

i+I+I  =  36,I+3_i  =  ,8,i+^+l  =  20. 
X    y    z  X    y     z  x    2>y    ^z 

3.  (a)  Two  persons  14  miles  apart,  starting  at  the  same 
time,  will  be  together  in  7  hours  if  they  walk  in  the  same 
direction,  and  in  2  hours  and  20  minutes  if  they  walk  in 
opposite  directions.     Find  their  rates  of  walking. 

{b)  Solve  the  simultaneous  equations 

{a  —  b)  x-{-  {c+d)y  =  a,  {a-\-b)x-\-{c—d)y  =  b. 

4.  ia)  Solve  the  equation 1 =  — ' 

x-4    x-2,      3 

(6)  A  hall  can  be  paved  with  200  square  tiles  of  a  cer- 
tain size;  if  each  tile  were  i  inch  larger  each  way  it  would 
take  128  tiles.     Find  the  length  of  the  edge  of  a  tile. 


5.     (g)  Solve  the  equations  (i)  x^+2Vx'-^6x=2/^—6x, 
(2)  V^r+2  +  V^x  +  i=Vgx+7. 

(b)  Solve  the  simultaneous  equations 

x'-\-xy-\-2y^  =  'ji\  and  2x^-\-2xy-\-y*  =  'JZ. 


342  Appendix  II 

Third  Subject 

arithmetic 

[Time    allowed:    3    hours] 

I.  (a)  Mvdtiply  each  of  the  numbers  2.30259,  2.99573, 
and  3.40120  by  .43429,  obtaining  products  correct  to  the 
fifth  decimal  place. 

(6)  Divide  63360  by  39.37 

How  many  times  does  a  wheel  2  feet  in  diameter  revolve 
in  rolling  i  mile?     (ir  =3.1416.) 


(a)  Simplify 


2  II  22  4 
II  I  I  I 
13     26     2     4 


Using  decimals,  find  the  value  of 1 -. 

25     20     100     8 

(b)  The  longitude  of  San  Francisco  is  122°  25'  45"  W. 
and  the  longitude  of  Manila  is  120°  57'  30"  E.  When  it  is 
6  A.M.  in  San  Francisco,  what  is  the  time  in  Manila? 


of 


3.     (a)  Find,  correct  to  six  places  of  decimals,  the  value 
V2  — I 


V2  +  1 

(b)  There  are  231  cubic  inches  in  a  gallon.  Find,  to  the 
nearest  hundredth  of  an  inch,  the  edge  of  a  cubical  recep- 
tacle holding  I  gallon. 

4.  (a)  Find  the  simple  interest  on  $3,200  at  4>^  pet 
cent,  per  annum  for  2  years  7  months  and  6  days. 

A  man's  income  from  a  4>^  per  cent,  investment  is 
$1,200  a  year.     Find  the  amount  of  money  invested. 

(b)  If  water  weighs  62.4  pounds  a  cubic  foot,  and  if 
granite  is  2.6  times  as  heavy,  find  the  number  of  tons  in  a 


Appendix  II  343 

block  of  granite  20  by  5  by  4  feet,  allowing  2,240  pounds 
to  a  ton. 

5.  (a)  If  a  nautical  mile  is  1.15  statute  miles,  and  there 
are  60  nautical  miles  in  i  degree  on  a  circle  of  longitude, 
how  many  statute  rmles  north  of  AnnapoUs  (latitude 
38°  59'  N.)  is  Boston  (latitude  42°  21'  N.)? 

(b)  There  are  3,800,000  square  miles  in  Europe  and  a 
population  of  437,000,000.  Find  the  population  per 
square  mile  and  the  number  of  acres  to  each  inhabitant. 

Fourth  Subject 

dictation  exercise  in  spelling 

The  examiner  will  pronounce  distinctly  each  word, 
repeating  the  word  if  necessary.  Twenty  minutes  are 
allowed  for  this  subject. 

1.  aggravate  21.  rhubarb 

2.  bicycle  22.  causal 

3.  cemetery  23.  achieve 

4.  emigrate  24.  irrelevant  (iV-re/'e-ran/) 

5.  pursue  25.  simulate 

6.  rental  26.  terminal 

7.  blamable  27.  decency 

8.  perforate  28.  perfidy 

9.  sumptuous  (sump'chu-us)  29.  pharmacy 

10.  pious  30.  calumny  {cal'utn-ni) 

11.  vaccinate  31.  iUiterate 

12.  essence  32.  already 

13.  absence  33.  disagreeable 

14.  bureau  34.  embarrass 

15.  ecstasy  {ec'sta-si)  35.  grievous 

16.  liquefy  36.  procedure 

17.  hazel  37.  blissful 

18.  beginning  38.  sacrilegious  (sac'ri-U'jus) 

19.  incessant  39.  foreign 

20.  serenity  {se-ren'i-ti)  40.  gnarl 


344  Appendix  II 

Fifth  Subject 

GRAMMAR 

[Time  allowed:  2  hours] 

1.  (o)  Define  (i)  phrase,  (2)  relative  pronoun,  (3) 
infinitive,  (4)  analysis. 

(b)  Write  the  principal  parts  of  choose,  bear,  hew,  show. 

(c)  Give  the  plural  of  terminus,  court-martial,  chimney, 
spoonful. 

(d)  What  is  the  possessive  singular  of  horse,  it,  fox, 
father-in-law? 

2.  Analyze  the  following  sentence  and  parse  the  under- 
scored words:  "He  hath  a  heart  as  sound  as  a  bell  and  his 
tongue  is  the  clapper,  for  what  his  heart  thinks  his  tongue 
speaks." 

3.  Explain  and  correct  all  errors  in  the  following 
sentences: 

(c)  We  would  have  been  glad  to  have  given  up  our  plans. 

(b)  The  mink  is  a  timid  animal  and  they  are  difficult 
to  catch. 

(c)  I  think  he  is  some  better. 

(d)  The  affair  went  on  without  me  being  aware  of  it. 

(e)  The  President  with  his  secretary  are  on  the  platform. 
(/)  Neither  Keats  nor  Shelley  use  the  word. 

(g)  Who  do  you  think  I  am? 

(A)  It  was  John  and  me  that  passed  you. 

4.  Write  a  theme  of  at  least  one  page  (about  300  words) 
on  one  of  the  following  subjects : 

(a)  President  Wilson's  Pan-American  policy. 

(b)  The  need  of  military  training  in  schools. 

(c)  Educational  fads — Why  I  am  not  better  prepared 
to  pass  my  entrance  examinations. 

(d)  Transportation  in  my  State. 


Appendix  II  345 

Sixth  Subject 
geography 

[Time  allowed:  2  hours] 

1.  (a)  Define  the  following  terms:  (i)  Crater;  (2) 
meridian;  (3)  delta;  (4)  peninsula;  (5)  isotherm;  (6)  lati- 
tude; (7)  GuJf  Stream;  (8)  monsoon;  (9)  Arctic  Circle; 
(10)  steppe. 

(b)  Bound  the  following:  (i)  Kentucky;  (2)  Peru. 

2.  (a)  Fix  the  position  of  the  following:  (i)  Riga;  (2) 
Jaurez;  (3)  Saloniki;  (4)  Culebra;  (5)  Port  au  Prince;  (6) 
Sulu;  (7)  Hilo;  (8)  El  Paso;  (9)  Saginaw;  (10)  Nish. 

(b)  Trace  the  course  of  the  following  rivers,  telling 
where  they  rise,  in  what  direction  and  through  what 
countries  they  flow,  and  into  what  waters  they  empty: 
(i)  Vistula;  (2)  Nile;  (3)  Ohio;  (4)  Euphrates. 

3.  (a)  State  two  of  the  chief  products  of  each  of  the 
following:  (i)  Cuba;  (2)  Ohio;  (3)  Australia;  (4)  South 
CaroUna. 

(b)  Name  the  principal  products  of  the  soil  of  the 
United  States  that  are  affected  by  a  blockade  of  Germany, 
and  name  the  principal  imports  into  the  United  States 
from  Germany  in  peace  times. 

4.  Make  a  voyage  from  Rio  de  Janeiro  to  Seattle  via 
the  Panama  Canal,  naming  the  waters  passed  tlirough, 
four  ports  of  call,  and  the  countries  along  which  you  would 
coast. 

Seventh  Subject 

united  states  history 

[Time  allowed:  2  hours] 
I.     (a)  Summarize  in  one  paragraph  each,  the  discove- 
ries of  two  of  the  following  explorers:  Hudson;  La  Salle; 
the  Cabots;  de  Soto. 


34^  Appendix  II 

(b)  Describe  briefly  the  settlement  and  early  govern- 
ment of  Maryland. 

2.  (a)  To  what  foreign  country  do  we  owe  our  success 
in  the  Revolution?     Give  the  reasons. 

(b)  Explain  the  importance  of  the  American  naval 
victories  on  Lake  Erie  and  Lake  Champlain  in  the  War 
of  1812. 

3.  (a)  Write  a  short  sketch  of  the  life  of  one  of  the 
following:  James  Monroe;  Henry  Clay;  David  G.  Farra- 
gut;  Thomas  A.  Edison. 

(&)  What  was  the  compromise  of  1820?    Of  1850? 

4.  (a)  Describe  the  Peninsular  Campaign  in  the  Civil 
War. 

(b)  Name  four  important  American  inventions  since 
the  Civil  War,  and  explain  why  you  regard  them  as 
important. 

ADMISSION 

43.  Candidates  who  pass  the  required  examinations 
will  receive  appointments  as  midshipmen,  and  be  admitted 
as  such  to  the  Naval  Academy.  Each  midshipman  on 
admission  will  be  required  to  sign  articles  by  which  he 
binds  himself  to  serve  in  the  United  States  Navy  during 
the  pleasure  of  the  President  of  the  United  States  (includ- 
ing his  time  of  probation  at  the  Naval  Academy),  unless 
sooner  discharged.  He  will  be  required  to  certify  on 
honour  his  exact  age. 

44.  The  pay  of  a  midshipman  is  $600  a  year,  com- 
mencing at  the  date  of  his  admission. 

45.  Midshipmen  will  supply  themselves,  immediately 
upon  their  admission,  with  the  following  articles,  via.. 


Appendix  II 


347 


One  white  cap  and  anchor  $  2.45 

One  dress  jacket 20.78 

One  blouse 15.22 

One  pair  dress  trousers.  11.83 

One  pair  service  trousers  6.68 

One  overcoat 26.98 

One  reefer 12.18 

One  mackintosh 11.50 

One  cap  cover .24 

Two  pairs  regulation  leg- 
gings   1.40 

One  parade  cap 3.10 

One  mug .07 

One  soap  box .18 

One  laundry  book .25 

One  pair  blankets 3.75 

One  pair  overshoes .83 

Two  pairs  high  shoes .  . .  9.60 

Eight  white  shirts 4.00 

Twelve  collars 1.20 

Two  white  blouses 8.00 

Two  pairs  white  trousers  4.00 

Twelve  pairs  cuffs 2.20 

Twelve  pairs  socks 2.40 

*Eight  towels 1.60 

*Shaving  outfit 2.65 

Twelve     pairs     drawers 

(summer) 4.80 

Twelve  undershirts 

(summer) 4.32 

One  hand  glass 1.15 

One  blue  sweater 3. 15 

Two  blue  jerseys 4.00 

One  pair  white  shoes. ..  .  1.80 

Three  white  hats 1.05 

One  jackknife .25 

Two  lanyards .24 

Six  sheets 3.90 

Hammock  clews .50 

One  pair  bathing  trunks..  .15 

Three  pairs  white  gloves  1.20 

Two  clothes  bags .50 

One  requisition  book. . . .  .40 


One  pass  book J  0.30 

Three  stencils,  ink,  and 

brush .75 

Wash  basin  and  pitcher  .  .90 
One      pair      gymnasium 

slippers .87 

*One  whisk .17 

*One  coarse  comb .13 

*One  box  soap .30 

*One  hairbrush .65 

*Stationery 1.75 

*Twelve  white  handker- 
chiefs    2.40 

*One  pair  suspenders  .  . .  .40 

Four  suits  pajamas 3.80 

*One  toothbrush .18 

*Thread  and  needles .75 

*Blacking      brush      and 

blacking .50 

*Nailbrush .50 

Six  pillowcases .78 

Name  plate .15 

Two  bedspreads 2.50 

One  slop  jar i.oo 

Two  spatter  cloths i.oo 

One  hair  pillow .75 

One  rug 75 

One  hair  mattress 4.85 

One  broom .35 

Three  khaki  blouses. .  . .  5.01 

Four  khaki  shirts 9.20 

Four  pair  khaki  trousers  .  5. 00 

One  khaki  belt .17 

One  waste-paper  basket.  .65 

One  trousers  hanger  ....  .30 

Si.ic  coat  hangers .36 

One  strong  box 1.60 

One  pair  ear  protectors.  •  .20 

Two  manuals .83 

One  pair  collar  anchors. .  .75 


1231.84 


The  articles  marked  *,  not  being  required  to  conform  to 


34^  Appendix  II 

a  standard  pattern,  may  be  brought  by  the  midshipman 
from  home,  but  all  other  articles  must  conform  to  the 
regulations,  and  must  therefore  be  supplied  by  the  store- 
keeper. 

46.  Each  midshipman  must,  on  admission,  deposit 
with  the  pay  officer  the  sum  of  $60,  for  which  he  will  be 
credited  on  the  books  of  that  officer,  to  be  expended  by 
direction  of  the  superintendent  in  the  purchase  of  text- 
books and  other  authorized  articles  besides  those  enumer- 
ated in  the  preceding  article. 

47.  All  deposits  for  clothing  and  the  entrance  deposit 
of  S60  must  be  made  before  a  candidate  can  be  received 
into  the  Academy. 

48.  Checks  for  these  deposits  must  not  be  made  payable 
to  the  order  of  the  superintendent.  They  should  be  made 
payable  to  the  candidate's  own  order  and  be  presented 
to  the  pay  officer  of  the  Naval  Academy  at  the  time  of 
deposit. 

SUMMARY  OF   EXPENSES 

Deposit  for  clothing,  etc $231.84 

Deposit  for  books,  etc 60.00 


$291.84' 
The  value  of  clothing  brought  from  home  is  to  be  deducted 
from  this  amount. 

49.  Each  midshipman  will  be  paid,  as  soon  as  adjusted 
by  the  Treasury  Department,  the  amount  of  his  actual 
expenses  in  travelling  from  his  home  to  the  Academy, 
which  he  will  deposit  with  the  Midshipmen's  Pay  Officer 
to  be  credited  to  his  account. 

'  Note  by  Author. — This  deposit  should  read  $300.00. 
The  value  of  clothing  brought  from  home  is  deducted  but 
only  theoretically  so,  the  credits  for  such  clothing  and  for 
consequent  excess  deposit  being  placed  on  the  pass  book 
of  the  midshipman  and  shown  in  his  amount  available. 


APPENDIX  III 

BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTE 

Commander  Buchanan. — This  officer,  who  so  success- 
fully started  the  Naval  Academy  and  inaugurated  so 
many  fine  administrative  ideas  and  methods  which  have 
endured  to  the  present  day,  deserves  to  have  his  eventful 
life  chronicled  in  this  book, 

Franklin  Buchanan  was  bom  in  Baltimore,  Maryland, 
in  1800,  and  entered  the  Navy  as  a  midshipman,  January 
28,  1815.  He  proved  himself  an  exceptionally  able  officer 
and  acquired  a  high  reputation  as  a  skilful,  energetic,  and 
systematic  organizer.  His  commands  prior  to  1845  in- 
cluded the  Baltimore,  the  Peacock,  the  Mississippi,  and 
the  Vincennes. 

In  1845  he  was  selected  as  a  member  of  a  Board  to 
devise  means  for  starting  a  Naval  Academy,  and,  when 
the  Naval  Academy  was  founded  at  Annapolis,  he  was 
appointed  Superintendent,  in  which  capacity  he  served 
from  September  3,  1845,  to  March  14,  1847.  He  proved 
himself  a  man  of  iron  will,  and  maintained  discipline  in 
the  student  body  recalled  from  sea  with  a  strong  hand  so 
that  the  success  of  the  school  was  assured. 

An  active  man,  he  grew  restless  as  the  Mexican  War 
continued  and,  beUeving  the  School  securely  planted  and 
started  on  the  road  to  success,  he  asked  for  dutj^  in  the 
Gulf.  In  command  of  the  Germantown  he  took  part  in 
the  capture  of  Vera  Cruz,  March  29,  1847,  and  in  several 
other  engagements. 

349 


350  Appendix  III 

In  November,  1 851,  he  was  a  member  of  the  Board  that 
altered  the  course  at  the  Naval  Academy  to  one  of  four 
years  with  the  summer  practice  cruises  of  three  months. 

He  commanded  the  Susquehanna  in  the  squadron  of 
Commodore  M.  C.  Perry,  who  sailed  from  Norfolk,  Vir- 
ginia, November  24,  1852,  on  that  memorable  cruise  that 
opened  Japan  to  foreigners.  On  July  13,  1853,  at  Kuri- 
hama,  Uraga,  Buchanan  was  the  first  "  barbarian  "  ashore 
"  to  defile  the  soil  of  the  holy  country  of  Japan." 
'.  Buchanan  became  a  captain  in  1855  and  in  1859  was 
made  commandant  of  the  Washington  Navy  Yard.  On 
April  22,  1 86 1,  he  resigned,  but  finding  that  his  State  did 
not  secede,  he  wrote  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  requesting 
that  his  resignation  be  withdrawn  and  that  he  be  restored 
to  the  Navy.  His  request  was  not  granted  and  he  was 
dismissed  the  service,  entering  the  Confederate  Navy 
in  September,  1861.  He  reconstructed  the  Merrimac, 
scuttled  at  Norfolk  Yard  by  Commodore  McCauley 
and  commanded  it  during  the  engagement  with  the  Cum- 
berland and  Congress,  on  March  8,  1862,  at  Hampton 
Roads,  Virginia,  being  so  severely  wounded  that  he  did 
not  take  part  in  the  fight  with  the  Monitor  the  next  day. 

His  services  to  the  Confederacy  were  now  recognized 
by  a  commission  as  Admiral  and  senior  officer  of  the 
Confederate  Navy. 

In  command  of  the  ram  Tennessee  at  the  battle  of  Mobile 
Bay,  August  5,  1864,  he  was  wounded  and  captured. 

After  the  war  he  was  president  of  the  Maryland  Agri- 
cultural College  for  some  time,  and  later  a  life  insurance 
agent  in  St.  Louis. 

He  died,  May  11,  1874,  in  Talbot  County,  Maryland. 


INDEX 


Academic  Board,  82,  128,  166 

Academic  building,  290 

Academy,  Naval:  work  started  on  new,  285;  completed, 

285;  cost  of,  285;  power  plant,  296 ;  bmldings  and  grounds, 

278-298 
Adams,  Fort,  20,  21 
Admission:  discussion,    29-54;   oath   of,    52;    regulations 

governing,  325-348 
Age,  entrance:  first  required,  14;  present  required,  24 
America,  21 

Annapolis,  description  of  town,  47-50 
Appointments:  laws,  30,  31;  accepting,  32;  obtaining,  33, 

34 
Argo,  215 

Articles  of  War,  174 
Asylum,  Naval  School,  8 
Athletics:  23;  summer  contest,  77;  description  in  general, 

199-214;  officer  in  charge  of,  64,  175;  contests,  175,  202; 

association,  200,  213 
Auditoritun,  291 
Aviation,  262 

Badger,  Captain  C.  J.,  28 

Balch,  Rear  Admiral  G.  B.,  28 

Ball,  Jime,  234,  300 

Bancroft,  George,  9,  10,  11,  15,  290 

Bancroft  Hall,  80,   101-103;   196;  dimensions  and  cost, 

285-287 
Baseball,  79,  205 
Basketball,  207,  220 
Battle  stations,  253 
Battleships,  234,  237,  242 
Bible:  classes  in,  161;  presentation  of,  163 
Biddle,  U.  S.  S.,  156 

351 


352  Index 


Blake,  Captain  G.  S.,  19,  20,  28 

Board,  Academic,  82,  128,  166 

Board  of  Visitors,  282 ;  members  of,  300 

Boats,  75,  215-217,  235 

Boston,  school  at,  4 

Bowles,  F.  T.,  259 

Bowyer,  Captain  J.  M.,  28 

Branch,  Secretary,  4 

Brownson,  Captain  W.  H.,  28 

Bryan,  Pay  Inspector,  192 

Buchanan,  Fraiiklin,  7, 11, 13,  15, 17,  28,  105,  127,  349,  350 

Buildings,  general  description,  281-298 

Burial,  Math,  and  English,  229 

Cadet:  engineers,  23;  midshipmen,  23;  naval,  14,  23,  24 

Calendar,  131 

Candidate:  definition,  29;  coaching  for  entrance,  35;  one 

examination  per  class,  39;  arrival,  46;  deposit  required, 

51,  52;  oath,  52;  midshipman,  54. 
Cemetery,  298 
Chapel  or  Church,   79,    158,    159;  attendance  required, 

159,  171;  description  of,  293 

Chaplain,   early  instruction  by,   iv,  5,   23,    76,  100,    159, 

160,  171 

Chauvenet,  William,  8,  9,  10,  1 1 

Cheer  leader,  219 

Choir,  79,  164 

Civil  War,  19,  239,  240 

Class,  69;  numbers  in,  106 

Clothing,  required,  347;  deposit  for,  348 

Coaling  ship,  256 

Coefficients:  system,  127;  table  of,  129 

College,  War,  308 

Commandant  of  Midshipmen,  96,  167,  237 

Commander,  midshipman,  217 

Conduct:  sheet,  94,  113;  grades,  114;  deficiency  in,  118; 

effect  on  multiple,  119 
Constitution,  U.  S.  S.,  6,  19,  20,  21,  63 
Construction  Corps,  260,  262 
Contests,  regimental  flag,  232 
Cooper,  Captain  P.  H.,  28,  283 
Cost,  table  board,  59 
Council,  postgraduate,  270 

Course:  length  of,  18,  24;  changes  in,  25;  present,  314-324 
Cradock,  Sir  Christopher,  55,  199,  215,  258 


Index  353 

Craven,  Lieutenant  T.  T.,  7,  19,  239 

Cruise:  pleasure,  215;  practice,  started,  17,  18;  Preble,  17; 
234;  during  war,  21,  80,  239,  240;  general  description  of, 
237-258;  organization,  245,  routine,  250-256 

Cup:  athletic  trophy,  213;  Lysistrata,  257 

Dahlgren,  7;  hall,  285-288 

Dairy,  193,  194,  195 

Dances,  23,  220,  221,  223 

Dancing  instruction,  152 

Debate,  76 

Debts,  forbidden,  64 

Deficiency,  conduct,  118;  weekly,  112,  132;  for  term,  128, 

130 
Delaware,  U.  S.  S.,  123 
Demerits,  11 6-1 19;  function  of,  168 
Deposit,  required  upon  entrance,  51,  52,  325,  348 
Diplomacy,  308 
Diplomas,  105 

Discipline,  18;  75;  165-168;  306 
Dramatic  Club,  226 
Dress  parade,  231 
Drill:  artillery,  153;  infantry,  73,  153,  187;  seamanship,  74, 

136,    150-152;   periods  for,    138,    139;   small  arm,   72; 

swimming,  73;  physical  or  gymnasium,  180-186 
DuPont,  7 
Duty:  midshipmen's,  89-94;  officer,  89;  squad,  89 

Eberle,  Captain  E.  W.,  28 
Efficiency,  multiple  for,  95 
Electricity:  laboratory  for,  140;  practical  instruction  in, 

140-144;  postgraduate,  260 
Engineering,  23,  75;  drills,  145-149;  postgraduate,  260 
English,   76,    no,    137;  entrance  requirements,  334-336, 

343-346 
Enlisted  men,  entering  academy,  34,  35 
Ensign,  299;  number  from  a  class,  301;  pay  of,  304 
Entrance:  age  required,  24;  details  of,  44 
Entrance  deposit,  51,325,  348 
Examinations,  entrance:  order  of  subjects,  38;  where  held, 

39;  best  time  to  take,  39 ;  questions,  40;  how  prepared,  40; 

length,  41;  conditions  under  which  held,  41;  spelling, 

41;  passing  mark,  43;  where  held,  43;  average  records 

made,  43;  percentage    successful,  43;  physical  44,  46; 

sample  entrance,  339-346 


354  Index 


Examinations:  during  course,  121,  122;  procedure,  124, 
125;  weight,  126;  marking  of  papers,  132;  swimming,  216; 
handling  boats,  216 

Executive  Department,  84,  85,  86,  96,  200 

Failure,  term  work,  130 

Farm, 195 

Farragut,  Admiral,  iv,  7,  29,  237,  306,  311 

Fencing,  209 

Fire  control,  156,  254 

Fitness  reports,  304 

Flagg,  Ernest,  283 

Football,  79,  202-205;  scores,  204,  218-220 

Foote,  7 

Franklin,  U.  S.  S.,  63 

French,  81,  122 

Fullam,  Captain  W.  F.,  28 

Funds,  first  appropriation,  15 

Germantown,  U.  S.  S.,  15 
Gibbons,  Captain  J.  H.,  28 
Goat,  Navy,  62,  219 

Goldsborough,  Commander  L.  M.,  7,  18,  28 
Golf,  218 

Grades,  conduct,  114 

Graduation  exercises:  first,  18;  diplomas,  25 
Grounds,  Academy,  278-281 
Guerriere,  U.  S.  S.,  school  on  board,  4 
Gunnery,  154-156 
Gymkhana,  227-229 

Gymnasium,  75,  152;  compulsory  system,  176;  drills,  177- 
185,  187;  meets,  208;  dances  in,  221 

Halligan,  Lieut.  Comdr.,  271 
Handball,  187 
Hazing,  25,  66,  97 
Herbert,  Secretary,  283 
Holidays,  222 

Honour,  standard,  168,  172 
Hops,  220,  221,  223 
Hospital,  189 

Illinois,  U.  S.  S.,  243 
Infantry  drill,  73,  78,  187 


Index  355 

Instruction,  practical,  137-157 

Sherwood  Hall,  292 

Java,  U.  S.  S.,  school,  4 

Jones,  John  Paul,  85,  109,  no,  154,  158,  294,  299 

June  week,  46,  47,  230,  233,  299 

Lacrosse,  211 

Lancaster,  U.  S.  S.,  63 

Languages,  35,  36 

Law,  international,  308 

Leadership,  92 

Leave,  80,  97,  222,  223,  235,  257 

Lessons,  108 

Liberty,  116 

Library,  290 

Life  insurance,  53 

"Log,  The,"  224 

Loyalty,  114 

Luce,  Rear  Admiral  S.  B.,  19,  250 

Luce  Hall,  285,  288 

"Lucky  Bag,"  225 

McCormick,  Medical  Director,  190,  194 
McDonald,  J.  E.,  the,  217 
McNair,  Rear  Admiral  F.  V.,  28 

Macedonian,  U.  S.  S.,  21 

Machine  shop,  242 

Mahan,  Captain  A.  T.,  158 

Mahan  Hall,  290 

Marine  Barracks,  298 

Marine  Corps,  301 

Marine  Engineering,  145-149,  261,  292,  307 

Marion,  U.  S.  S.,  21 

Marks:  scale  adopted,  16;  method  of,  105,  107;  papers,  132 

Masqueraders,  226,  233,  291 

Massachusetts,  U.  S.  S.,  243 

Mathematics,  37,  38,  229,  336-343 

Matthews,  Commodore  E.  O.,  283 

Maury,  Lieutenant  M.  F.,  4,  5 

Maury  Hall,  291 

Medical  officer,  76 

Memorial  Hall,  287,  288 

Mess  Hall,  62 


356  Index 


Midshipmen:  early  appointments  and  education,  3;  con- 
duct, 4;  nvxmber  at  opening  of  school,  12;  number, 
academic  year,  1915-1916,  13;  Civil  War,  19,  22;  title 
abandoned,  23;  title  restored,  24;  old  time,  26;  maximum 
possible  number  at  Academy,  31;  origin  of  title,  55,  56; 
ofiScers,  86-88;  duties  of,  90-94;  number  passing,  106; 
unsatisfactory,  112;  number  fall  of  1916,  287;  graduating; 
302;  percentage  completing  course,  302 

Mines,  156 

Minstrels,  23 

Military  Academy,  i,  2 

Missouri,  U.  S.  S.,  243,  244 

Monuments,  298 

Multiple,  efficiency,  95;  conduct,  119,  127-128 

Musical,  Midshipmen's,  Clubs,  227,  291 

Naval  Academy:  name  adopted,  16;  first  organization,  16; 

history  of,  1-28 
Naval  Cadet:  grade  proposed,  14;  age  of  entrance,    14; 

origin  of  title,  23 
Nav^  School,  first,  4;  at  Annapolis,  12-13;  curriculum, 

15;  name  abandoned,  16 
Navy,  when  begun,  2,  3 
Nelson,  86,  121 

Newport,  Academy  there,  20-22 
Nipsic,  U.  S.  S.,  63 
Nulton,  Captain,  L.  M.,  167 
Number,  midshipmen:  maximum  allowed,  31;  probable 

number,   31;   comparative,  by  classes,   69;   completing 

course,  302 

Oath,  entrance,  52-53 

Ohio,  U.  S.  S.,  243-244 

Ordnance  and  gunnery,  155-157 

Ordnance;  postgraduate,  260,  262;  gun  design,  307 

Organization,  of  Academy:  first,  16;  present,  82-96 

Ossipee,  U.  S.  S.,  63 

Patriotism,  163-164 
Pay,  58-59,  304 
Parker,  Commodore  F.  A.,  28 
Pay  Corps,  301 

Periods:  summer,  75-76;  study  and  recitation,  108-109; 
drill,  112 


Index  357 


Physical  examinations:  need  for  preliminary,  44;  per  cent. 

failing  on  entrance,  46;  defects  removable,  46;  during 

course,  191;  entrance  requirements  in  detail,  332-333 
Physical  training,  175-186 
Phythian,  Captain  R.  L.,  28 
Plebe,  54,  59,  90 
Plymouth,  U.  S.  S.,  19 

Porter,  Admiral  D.  D.,  22,  23,  28,  199,  279,  312 
Postgraduate  education:  259-277;  school  established,  261; 

course,  262;  need  for,  266-268;  council,  270;  selection  of 

officers  for,  273;  allotment  of  time,  275 
Practice  squadron,  80,  237,  240,  243 
Prayers,  daily,  162 
Preble,  U.  S.  S.,  17 
Preparatory  schools,  need  for,  35 
President:  class,  172-173;  of  United  States,  153,  300 
Professors  of  mathematics,  9,  15 
Promotion:  blocked,  22;  present,  303. 

Quarters:     midshipmen's,   80,     101-103,     196,     285-287; 
officers',  281 

Radio,  142,  143 

Ramsay,  Captain  F.  M.,  28 

Recitations,  103-108,  112 

Reefer,  56 

Regulations,  59,  168 

Reina  Mercedes,  U.  S.  S.,  72,  115 

Religion,  158-165 

Reports,  94,  99 

Responsibility,  170-172 

Riding,  217 

Rifle  range  and  practice,  69,  72,  78,  212 

Ring,  class,  229-230 

Robert  Center,  215 

Rodgers,  Lieutenant  G.  W.,  20 

Rodgers,  Rear  Admiral  C.  R.  P.,  20,  21,  28 

Roommates,  65 

Rooms:  care  of,  100;  description  of,  102-103 

Routine,  66-67,  103-108,  112 

Rowing,  206 

Rules  of  road,  75 

Saint  Anne's  church,  50 
Saint  John's  college,  50 


358  Index 


Sailing,  217 

Sampson,  Commander  W.  T.,  28 
Sands,  Rear  Admiral  J.  H.,  28 
Saniee,  U.  S.  S.,  70-72 
Sayres,  Governor,  282 
Scholarship,  grading,  105 
Seamanship,  74,  78,  150-152 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  4,  9,  10,  11,  15,  232,  300 
Sections,  104,  106 
Services,  divine,  159-163 

Severn,  Fort:  transfer,  10,  11;  use,  22,  199,  278 
Sick  call,  188,  190 
Sick  quarters,  188 

Simpson,  Rear  Admiral  Edward,  13,  14 
Small  arms,  72,  78,  154 
Society,  223 
Somers,  mutiny  on,  7 
Songs,  219 
Spanish,  81,  122 
Spelling,  42 

Spencer,  Midshipman,  7 
Spotting,  156 

Squadron  practice,  80,  237,  240,  243 
Staflf,  academic,  83 
Star,  105 

Steam  machinery,  7,  145-149,  261,  292,  307 
Strength  tests,  176,  184 
Stribling,  Commander  C.  K.,  28 
Sunday  School,  161 
Superintendent,  list,  28,  82,  232,  237 
Swedish  system  of  exercise,  75,  178-185 
Swimming:  required,  73;  contest,  78;  extra  instruction, 
1 1 1 ;  pool,  186;  team,  210 

Tamanend  or  Tecumseh,  123 

Teeth,  care  of,  197 

Tennis,  79,  223 

Thompson,  R.  M.,  200,  212,  217,  282-283 

Tobacco,  prohibited,  64,  115 

Torpedo,  156 

Track  athletics,  211 

Traveling  expenses,  325 

Tree,  112,  125 

Trophy  Hall,  291 

Typhoid  fever,  192 


Index  359 


Unsatisfactory  midshipmen,  112 
Upshur,  Commander  G.  P.,  7,  28 
Ushers,  79 

Vaccination,  192 

Vandalia,  U.  S.  S.,  6 

Vera  Cruz,  15,  70 

Visitors,  Board  of,  16,  282,  300 

Wainwright,  Commander  Richard,  28 

Walking,  217 

War  College,  309 

Ward,  Lieutenant,  11,  12 

Washington,  President,  i 

Washington,  U.  S.  S.,  iv 

Watch,  routine  of,  251 

Wisconsin,  U.  S.  S.,  243,  244,  257 

Worcester,  U.  S.  S.,  63 

Worden  Field,  298 

Wrestling,  208 

Year,  academic  calendar,  131 
Y.  M.  C.  A.,  161-162 


By  H,  IRVING  HANCOCK 


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It  explains  all  of  the  essential  and  ascertained 
facts  of  physical  culture,  with  the  idea  of 
inducing  every  reader  to  begin  to  be  his 
own  safe  physical  custodian. 

It  treats  of  athletics  rather  as  an  incidental, 
the  main  theme  being  to  emphasize  the  im- 
portance of  obeying  the  simple  laws  of  nature 
in  matters  of  food,  hygiene,  rest,  and  exercise, 
whereby  those  who  are  constitutionally  weak 
may  attain  abounding  health. 

SEND  FOR  ILLUSTRATED  CIRCULAR 


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